The Shoreline Police Department is always looking for innovative ways to reach out to the community, particularly with youth in the community. Community Service Officer Dahlia Corona’s work with Hispanic students at Shorewood High School is a perfect example.
Part of Officer Corona’s duties include seeking ways to keep teenagers engaged in school and the community through positive recreational and educational activities. One such program targets the Hispanic student population at Shorewood High School. In speaking to the students, she found that they had a strong interest in traditional Mexican folk dancing. Inspired by the students’ passion for their cultural heritage, Officer Corona found a dance teacher that specializes in Mexican folk dancing and organized Shoreline’s first Mexican Folk Dance Group.
Currently, the group is made up of 12 students from Shorewood High School. Participation in the group will provide students with a sense of ownership, support and representation in the school. The students will give back to the community by performing at community events and at the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center and area nursing homes.
Eventually, the group will be open to all middle and high school students in Shoreline who are interested in learning about and performing Mexican folk dances.
If you would like to help these students with their fledgling program, donations are being accepted to help them purchase traditional outfits for performances and equipment and to help pay for traditional Mexican dance instruction. Contact Community Services Officer Dahlia Corona at (206) 801-2719 or dahlia.corona@kingcounty.gov.
