Times-Union

School system notes mother-son efforts

Both spend their spare time helping out at Abess Park Elementary, a second home.

By Topher Sanders

The Castaneda family says Abess Park Elementary School is basically an extension of their home.

Wilma Castaneda, an Abess faculty member, and her son, Alejandro, an 11th-grader at Paxon School for Advanced Studies, spend hours at Abess giving their time and energy to faculty, teachers and students.

For their dedication, the mother-and-son team were named the Duval County school system's school-related employee and youth volunteer, respectively, for 2009. They were selected for their honors by two different groups.

"I was overwhelmed," said Wilma Castaneda, who is Abess' media clerk. "I do a lot of stuff for the school that's not in my job description but I do it out of heart. We watched the school being built, so we kind of have a personal tie to the school. It's a family school."

Alejandro, who his friends call Ale (All-lay), attended Abess as an elementary student and spent time even then helping other teachers and his mother with small tasks throughout the building. Now he spends about five hours a week reading to students, playing sports and helping with homework during the school's extended day program.

"I was just in shock," he said of the awards. "I couldn't believe that we both got picked out of so many people for the same thing. It was incredible. It was good to be able to give back to the school that kind of shaped me into who I am now."

Wilma Castaneda's job requires her to catalog books and keep track of electronic equipment and inventory throughout the school, but Caroline Wells, principal at Abess, said Casta-neda does so much more.

"She's always willing to take on extra responsibilities and combine it with that positive attitude," Wells said.

Wilma Castaneda initiated a schoolwide fundraising effort to fight cancer, she serves on the school's advisory committee, serves on a safety committee and films teachers prepping for their national certification.

Castaneda, who is fluent in Spanish, also serves as an interpreter for Spanish-speaking families needing to communicate with teachers during parent-teacher conferences and registration.

"She's not one to come in and kind of be the 9-to-5er where she just does her job," Wells said. "She's a leader."

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree when talking about Alejandro, Wells said.

"I've seen him grow up through the years and he's a fine young man and he also has a lot of those traits that his mom has," she said. "He's willing to help and put in extra time."

Alejandro said his mother and father, Fernando, are the reason for his giving spirit.

"My parents are pretty selfless people; they always help out somebody," he said. "They're willing to help people and I wouldn't have those characteristics without them. They pretty much inspire me."