The Casanova Family
Marta has many fond memories of her time in PCEP, from making educational toys to creating costumes for children’s parades. Marta vividly recalls the nutrition lessons where instructors demonstrated how to cook vegetables on a classroom stove, a memory that stands out because her son, now an adult, still dislikes vegetables. Additionally, PCEP helped Marta recognize the significance of education, communication, and involvement in her children’s lives. As a result, she and her husband José Roberto, with whom she has been married for 49 years, prioritized their children’s education, even making sacrifices when necessary to put their education first. According to Marta, if she couldn’t leave her children a large inheritance, she could make sure they got a good education.
Discussing her children’s accomplishments, Marta is modest but understandably proud. Her youngest son, Andres, is still in school, but her daughter, Elizabeth, holds a bachelor’s degree, and Jose, who attended PCEP with her, earned a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Baylor College of Medicine. Jose currently works for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in the Rio Grande Valley.
Today, Jose is a parent himself. He and his wife, Denae Nash Casanova, have three children—a teenager, a three-year-old, and a two-year-old. During his time as a graduate student, Jose’s teenager spent a lot of time with Marta, who applied the knowledge she gained from PCEP in 1983 to encourage growth and learning in her granddaughter despite the age difference.
Jose fully understands the lifelong and generational impact of early education. Like his mother, he strives to instill the same values in his children. Jose actively seeks opportunities to support their education and development, recognizing the lasting effects it can have throughout their school years and beyond.