Fifty-five El Rito Elementary School students who collaborated on a mural depicting their everyday struggles, while simultaneously incorporating the rich history of their community, had their artwork showcased Sunday at
  The late Mrs. Esperanza Gonzales, like many of her generation, was a strong leader with a si se puede (can-do) and you can too attitude.
   Elementary teacher Gonzales in 1971 organized a school-based effort to raise student and parental pride in their educational foundation and community.
   She wanted to change the letter N (for El Rito Normal School) to a letter E to represent the El Rito Elementary School. The latter was the only school remaining.
   The letter E remains symbolic of both institutions and the community to this day. However, it fell into fading disrepair. Liability concerns stopped the childrenâs and Gonzalesâ forays to its annual painting fundraisers.