CORVALLIS, Ore. — Nichole Johnson was tired of being cooped up, tired of COVID-19, and, more recently, tired of wildfire smoke. So when the chance to write and perform music came along, she seized it.
“The purpose is to teach Latino youths science communication skills through the arts, with the goal of helping them cope with the mental health effects of the coronavirus, which is disproportionately affecting their communities."
Johnson, a sophomore at Oregon State University majoring in biology pre-med, signed up for COVID Corridos, a workshop from the Oregon State University Extension Service. Johnson and 18 other Latino youths had the opportunity to create music and share it in an innovative way through a digital platform. The workshop took the place of the annual Extension Mariachi STEAM summer camp, which was canceled because of the pandemic.
A corrido is a Mexican storytelling and poetic musical tradition — a ballad that often recounts a tragic event or circumstance. The pandemic, along with recent wildfires and smoke, provided timely subjects, said Victor Villegas, Extension’s technology and media support coordinator and co-leader of the project.
“The purpose is to teach Latino youths science communication skills through the arts, with the goal of helping them cope with the mental health effects of the coronavirus, which is disproportionately affecting their communities,” said Villegas, who collaborated with Brian Shmaefsky, a professor at Lone Star College in Texas. “We also aim to help youths connect with their heritage and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their cultural history.”
Like the Mariachi camp, the corridos workshop combined STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math — to spark interest in college and STEAM careers. Students learned the science of recording, applied technology to capture audio, used engineering through the tools involved, and used math to calculate sampling rates. The art was in the music itself.
From lyrics to video
Students began with a four-day virtual crash course in how to write a corrido and record audio. On their own, they wrote lyrics, played instruments or sang. The digital files were sent to Villegas, who compiled them into a three-minute video in Spanish with English subtitles, to be shared through social media.
The project was funded by Sigma Xi and Science Talk #SciComMake award, the Oregon 4-H Foundation and the Intel Latino Network. Youths learned the history of corridos, how to convert analog dialogue to digital formats, and how to use social media to promote their work.
Johnson, a member of the OSU band, recorded two trumpet parts for music composed by Villegas. She spent five hours on the task because she was determined to capture each part in one take.
“Even in elementary school I loved music class the most. In fifth grade you could join band and I immediately joined,” said Johnson, who began with clarinet and later moved to trumpet, though she also plays flute and piano. “I’ve grown to love Mariachi music; it’s one of my favorite genres to play.”
Role models inspire students
Music draws students in, and while they participate, they are exposed to STEAM subjects and meet successful Latinos who serve as role models. Daniel De Leon, one of the presenters during the training, shared his journey from working as a janitor after high school to pursuing higher education.
“One of the teachers treated me as an adult for the first time,” said De Leon, now a graduate student in computer science at OSU and an intern at Intel. “That changed the whole idea of education for me. Having him speak to me with respect is ultimately what made that shift.”
De Leon said he didn’t excel in math in high school, but he wants youths to see what he has achieved so they know it’s possible. “I feel obligated to do this because programs like this got me to where I am. I come from that community, and I think the kids can follow in my footsteps. I want them to see I’m just like them.”
A commitment to representation
Villegas is equally passionate about showing Latino youths what they can accomplish.
“As a Latino and someone who fell through the cracks and never obtained a four-year degree, I have experienced the effects of that, and it is extremely important to me to be a role model,” Villegas said. “I know what these kids go through — feeling out of place, not fully American, not fully Mexican — and not seeing others like them in STEAM or leadership roles. I don’t want them to go through what I and others have experienced because of our background.”
Previously titled COVID Corridos workshop draws Latino youth into STEAM subjects
