Mario Rosa, a dedicated social service professional for over 30 years, serves as the Family and Community Engagement Coordinator for Family and Community Engagement Services (F.A.C.E.S). He has spent over 30 years making a memorable impact on the community. Originally from East Chicago, Rosa’s career in the social services realm began with helping individuals obtain their GEDs and secure employment. His dedication and influence have extended to Valparaiso University, where he was inducted as a lifetime member of the National Honor Society of Social Workers.
“I’ve been involved in the social service area for many years,” Rosa said. “The F.A.C.E.S. office has been home to many social work interns from Valparaiso University and Purdue University Northwest.”
Rosa serves as the liaison to the Hispanic community within the school district, overseeing programs that support students from kindergarten through college. He facilitates English classes for parents and GED programs while organizing annual parent academies. Rosa collaborates daily with various departments, often acting as a translator for non-English-speaking families needing assistance such as determining transportation for their children.
“I work with every department in the district,” Rosa said. “For example, if a parent doesn't speak English and they need to find out what bus their kid is riding on, I am typically the one to make those phone calls and do the translating.”
He manages the F.A.C.E.S. Facebook page to keep families informed and is actively involved in several committees. One such committee is the Salvation Army board, where he helps coordinate a backpack program that currently serves nearly 700 children by providing weekend food supplies. Additionally, he works with the Rock The Block team, anticipating over 2,000 participants at this year’s back-to-school rally and backpack event at the high school’s freshman football field.
Rosa has developed a collaboration with the Recruitment/Retention Counselor at Indiana University (IU) South Bend to support Latinx and underrepresented students. Together, they assist with FAFSA applications and guide students through the entire process, enriching their educational journey. He partners with Purdue University Northwest to offer a community Spanish class, which has seen 61 teachers complete Spanish I and continue to Spanish II. This initiative enhances communication between teachers and monolingual Spanish-speaking students and parents. Rosa often brings Hispanic families into the class to help teachers practice proper greetings and interactions, further bridging language gaps. As one of the few bilingual administrators, Rosa appreciates the new superintendent's Spanish skills and finds it gratifying to witness the growth of the students and teachers in their language abilities, easing the demand for his translation services.
“Knowing that we now have 61 teachers and staff members, who know a little bit of basic Spanish – it makes it just a little bit easier for me because sometimes the demand is greater than one person can handle,” Rosa said.
Since 1984, Rosa has been actively involved with the Hispanic community in La Porte, helping Latino high school students and their parents. Over the years, he has seen many of the students he once mentored transition into parenthood themselves and several of them successfully pursue higher education. Rosa has collaborated with various community agencies, the mayor's office, and multiple departments within the school system. His commitment goes beyond just the Hispanic community; he aims to assist all parents seeking support for their specific needs.
“My goal is not just to work with the Hispanic community, but all of our parents when they have a specific need,” Rosa said.
Rosa maintains constant communication with community members, including the owners of local Mexican grocery stores, who help spread the word about classes and meetings. Each fall, he organizes a panel of eight Hispanic professional women who share their success stories with mothers and daughters, featuring diverse careers such as nurses, doctors, dental hygienists, and business owners.
“One of my most compelling stories was from the grocery store owner on the South side of town,” Rosa said. “You could hear a pin drop as she told her story.”
Rosa emphasizes the importance of the Social-Emotional Learning Family Engagement program, which addresses the holistic needs of students beyond academics. He notes that if a child arrives at school hungry, their ability to learn is significantly impacted, creating barriers to their education.
“It’s crucial to consider every aspect of a student’s life,” Rosa said. “If a kid is coming to or from school and they’re hungry, are they going to learn as well as someone who is well-fed? Probably not.”
These programs strive to meet these needs, providing essential support to parents and children. Rosa believes unaddressed hunger can quickly affect the student emotionally, adding a roadblock to their ability to learn.
To support families, the program offers workshops and resources on social-emotional learning, acknowledging the challenges parents face in balancing responsibilities. Soon, the school district will partner with a social worker from the police department to address community issues, meeting quarterly to discuss concerns and further provide support for families in need.
Rosa finds immense gratification in witnessing the success of the students he has mentored. This year, 38 students graduated from the Virtual Learning Academy program, a milestone that Rosa cherishes as he has developed personal connections with many of them. He recalls the pride he felt attending GED graduation ceremonies, watching young men and women cross the stage and knowing he played a small part in their educational journeys. Rosa often receives heartfelt phone calls from former students, some of whom promise to invite him to their college graduations.
“Sometimes, even years later, I'll get phone calls from kids that I've worked with in the past,” Rosa said. “One previous student of mine called and said, ‘I wanted to keep my promise,’ and I said ‘What’s that?’ They said, ‘I promised you that you would get the first invitation to my graduation.’”
Funding can be a significant challenge for community engagement efforts at F.A.C.E.S. Rosa collaborates with the Health Foundation of La Porte to secure resources, and he and his team actively seek additional grants to expand programs. He also notes that busy schedules often hinder parent participation; not just in programs, but also in school PTA events. To improve involvement, Rosa is exploring the idea of offering online workshops.
“One of the things that we would like to do is offer online workshops and build a library of them for our parents to access at any time,” Rosa said. “For example, It might benefit the parents who do shift work and have conflicting schedules, so that's something new we're looking toward.”
Rosa’s dedication to community engagement and education is deeply rooted in his own high school experiences and long-standing involvement in social services. His motivation stems from the gratification of helping others and witnessing the success of those he has supported.
“When I look at the young people I've worked with and the success that they've had, it’s extremely gratifying to see that somebody F.A.C.E.S. has helped in the past is now better off than they were when they came in,” Rosa said.
Rosa’s longstanding commitment to family and community engagement has created a profound impact in La Porte, particularly for Hispanic families and underrepresented students. His decades of experience and dedication have not only fostered educational success but have also strengthened community ties.
Through innovative programs, collaborations with local organizations, and a deep understanding of the diverse needs of families, Rosa continues to inspire hope and opportunity. As he looks to the future, his vision remains clear: to empower all parents and students, ensuring they have the resources and support necessary to thrive. With each success story, Rosa believes in the transformative power of education and community, making a lasting difference one student at a time.