TAMIU College of Ed’s ‘Fertile Grounds’ Video Podcast Highlights Laredo’s ‘Green Pastures’ for Family Success
The latest offering in a video podcast series hosted by Texas A&M International University’s College of Education aims to celebrate Laredo initiatives addressing healthy births, the early years of a child’s life, strong starts, and readiness for kindergarten and school.
Dr. James O’Meara, Dean of TAMIU’s College of Education, said the series, dubbed “Fertile Grounds,” highlights the amazing work done by TAMIU, the City of Laredo, local school districts, community leaders, and local organizations to ensure and sustain strong starts.
“Set to debut this month, this video podcast series explores the excellent healthcare, community support, and early education programs available to Laredo families, showcasing the innovative efforts and devoted professionals committed to ensuring every child is set up for success in school and life,” Dr. O’Meara said.
“We selected ‘Fertile Grounds’ as our series name because the Basque term for green pastures is ‘Laredo’ ...and as green pastures are fertile... Laredo leaders are working to help a fertile Laredo be the best place to be born in Texas, to grow, and to succeed,” he observed.
“One special aspect of the “Fertile Grounds” podcast series is the inclusion of local voices, showing how the united efforts of various organizations in Laredo make a real difference. From City officials to educators and community leaders, their stories highlight the collective drive that makes Laredo a nurturing place for families,” O’Meara continued.
The new “Fertile Ground” series is available after Thursday, January 16. All episodes can be accessed at this dedicated link: https://www.tamiu.edu/coedu/podcast/coedpodcast.shtml
Among topics and individuals highlighted in “Fertile Grounds” episodes this Spring are:
Healthy Births
- James O’Meara and the contributions of Community Engagement to School Readiness and Community Wellbeing
- Reynol Vela and the contributions of Educational Technologies and Programs to Healthy Births
- Dr. Richard Chamberlain the contributions of City Health Services and Health Promotion to Healthy Births
Strong Starts
Key Topics
- Eric Castillo and the contributions of Early Childhood Intervention to Strong Starts
- Gabriel Perez and the contributions of Developmental Screenings and parent Education programs to Strong Starts
Kindergarten Readiness
Key Topics
- Victoria Comacho and Rosalinda Gomez, the contributions of School Districts and Parent Groups to Kindergarten Readiness
- Genesis Ruiz the contributions of Students and Service Learning to Kindergarten Readiness
School Readiness
Key Topics
- TAMIU Police Chief Cordelia Perez and the contributions of Campus Police to School readiness
- Memo Treviño and the contributions of Daily Reading and Community Partners to School readiness
“Each of our video podcast series participants helps us share stories of historical importance and modern achievements. Together, we paint a compelling picture of why Laredo is indeed a land of ‘green pastures’ and a fertile ground for school readiness and family success,” O’Meara said.
He noted that part of TAMIU’s Strategic Plan challenges the University to act as a social catalyst.
“Our University’s Strategic Plan asks us to find ways to foster meaningful and synergistic partnerships to stimulate change. This video podcast series enables us to showcase our efforts to do so and the solid results such partnerships can empower,” he said.
O’Meara said this latest series is an extension of a video podcast first launched by the College of Education in 2023 focused on teacher education as part of the University’s role as the region’s top producer of teacher candidates. The latest series is hosted by Lance Kelly and produced by the College Station-based creative team of Podcast Architects, who helped initiate the video podcast series.
For more about TAMIU’s College of Education and its undergraduate and graduate programs, visit: https://www.tamiu.edu/coedu
Registration for Spring 2025 classes at TAMIU is underway online via Uconnect.
To learn more, visit the dedicated Registration Hub at https://go.tamiu.edu/registration.
Spring 2025 Classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.
Incoming and new TAMIU students can also get a sneak peek at what’s in store this Spring semester 2025 at go.tamiu.edu/springpreview
The dedicated website shares information on the University’s campus, events, experiences, and opportunities, and is available 24/7.
More on the University’s story is also found at tamiu.edu and on the University’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter-X, and YouTube. Fertile Grounds Video Podcast Launches
"Fertile Grounds" Video Podast Launched
TAMIU College of Education’s "Fertile Grounds" video podcast highlights Laredo’s commitment to family success, showcasing the excellent healthcare, community support, and early education programs available to Laredo families. The podcast features efforts and devoted professionals committed to ensuring every child is prepared for success in school and life. Pictured from left to right are program participants and organizers: Dr. Richard Chamberlain, Laredo Public Health Director; TAMIU College of Education Dean Dr. James O'Meara, and Reynol Vera, City of Laredo Health Department Nurse Family Partnership Supervisor.
