Un Tren Llamado Esperanza: Mario Bencastro Visits Sacred Heart School with a Message About Hope

By Cierra Kaler-Jones

As middle school students entered the auditorium at Sacred Heart School on May 8, they beamed when they saw Salvadoran novelist and painter, Mario Bencastro, sitting in the front row. Students diligently prepared for this momentous occasion by studying Bencastro’s work, focusing on his poem, Un Tren Llamado Esperanza. The event started with teacher Carlos Parada giving a brief introduction of Bencastro’s and Casa El Salvador’s work promoting culture and literature in the D.C. area. Born in El Salvador, Bencastro currently resides in Florida and has written several books for young adults.