On September 13, nearly 500 fathers, father figures and their sons gathered at Eastlake High School for the Socorro Independent School District’s 14th Annual Building Ties Father-Son Conference. The popular event aimed to strengthen relationships through hands-on activities and meaningful experiences designed to enhance the bond between fathers and sons.
Rene Espinoza attended the event for the fifth consecutive year with two of his three sons. He started participating in the conference with his oldest son, who graduated from Socorro High School three years ago. Rene Espinoza said that spending the day engaging in various activities at the conference not only allowed him to bond with his children but also helped him become a better father.
“Socorro ISD, the times that we've been coming, they go all out,” Rene Espinoza said. "Every year it's a really positive experience all over.”
The conference, for boys in grades 6 through 12, offered fathers or father figures and their sons the opportunity to build positive relationships and participate in various activities that encouraged bonding. Activities included life skills workshops, fitness sessions and college and career opportunities such as Sun City Welding Academy, where Rene Espinoza’s son, Jesus Espinoza, was considering pursuing a career as a welder.
Jesus Espinoza, a sophomore at Socorro High School, said the conference was also a chance to have fun with his father and brother. He was looking forward to participating in the conference’s Minute to Win It Games, where participants have 60 seconds to complete a challenge.
“Yeah, it gets cool to see my dad, like a grown man, having fun with us, his kids, playing games and stuff,” Jesus Espinoza said.
Dr. Adam Starke, director of State and Federal Programs at SISD, said that the district's Father-Son conference is the only one of its kind in Region 19, highlighting its importance in fostering strong connections and promoting family engagement.
“I think what it does is it can either reinforce or reignite the bond that sons have with their fathers. Also, we have 30-plus presenters, and we have about 50 exhibitors, and there are a lot of things that both the fathers and their boys are going to learn today. So, they're going to go back reinvigorated with their bond, perhaps being able to re-understand each other. And they're also going back with all kinds of knowledge,” Starke said.
Opening the conference was keynote speaker, Albert Villa, Ed.D., the project manager for Behavior, Discipline, and Mental Health at Education Service Center Region 19. Villa received a standing ovation for his heartfelt address, in which he encouraged fathers to seize opportunities to connect with their sons, whether through a hug, a conversation or a simple fist bump. He emphasized that the event was a valuable opportunity for participants to bond by spending quality time together.
“Because you're all sitting here at a father-son conference, I cannot think of a better opportunity. And you all have a bunch of sessions going on the rest of the day. Each one of those sessions is a moment and an opportunity,” Villa said. “Go out there and make another moment and another opportunity every single day.”
Jesse Cobos said Villa’s message “really hit home” for him. This was the first year, that Jesse Cobos and his son, Mathew Cobos, a seventh grader at Col. John O. Ensor Middle School, attended the conference.
“Even through the difficult times, even though as they're growing up through middle school age, sometimes it's tough to relate to them, but just spending that quality time with them really goes a long way,” Jesse Cobos said.
Mathew Cobos said the conference was a great way for him to explore future career options while spending the day with his dad. They attended a presentation by El Paso Community College’s Music Department, where they discovered that he could pursue a degree in the music industry.
“I think it's a really great thing so you can connect with your son or your dad,” Matthew Cobos said about the conference. “And just spend some time with them because sometimes they don't have a lot of time, whether it's work or something they have to deal with. So, I think it's a really great time to spend time with them and learn about these things.”