08-02-2025
Bi-lingual high schoolers help youger English learners--Johnson Park Elementary mentoring program
Sparking connections, a new mentorship program at Johnson Park Elementary School in Olivehurst brings high schoolers to the elementary's campus with purpose.
'The program is centered around our primary Spanish-speaking students working with bilingual students from both Lindhurst High School and South Lindhurst High School,' according to Cristian Lamas, a community school specialist with Johnson Park Elementary. 'For kids who don't get much exposure to English, this is an amazing opportunity to connect with someone who was in shoes similar to their own. They're able to receive guidance and get questions answered that they may not be comfortable asking in English.'
High school students come to the campus every Tuesday and Thursday to assist young English learner students. The elementary school students have different backgrounds, and meaningful moments have already emerged from this program that started in September.
'We have a student in the 6th grade, but she speaks Farsi. And as you can imagine, there are not many people around here who speak Farsi. So she has a bit of a language barrier sometimes,' Lamas said. 'Luckily, there's another person that I work with over at Lindhurst named Luis Martinez, and he found someone who also speaks Farsi over there and is actually proficient in both English and Farsi. So I pulled her out of the classroom. I said, 'Hey, can you remind me of the language that you speak?' And she said, 'It's Farsi.' I was like, 'Can you speak it for me?' And she started speaking, and then my tutor also started speaking. And she just looked at her really surprised, like, oh my goodness.'
The pair then worked together in a classroom.
'Our mentor left, and then the student came back to me after school, and she said, 'Am I going to see her again? Can she come back and see me?' I said, 'Absolutely,'' Lamas described.
The mentorship program holds significance for the mentors as well.
Ana Garcia, a junior at Lindhurst High School, is a mentor for the program, and she said that this program means a lot to her.
'I see how growing up as a Spanish-speaking student, it was hard to be able to pass the ELPAC test,' Garcia said, referring to a test that evaluates students' English language proficiency. 'Knowing that I'm able to have a great impact (on) them, it's a great opportunity.'
Brisa Nunez, another junior at Lindhurst High School involved with the mentorship program, also grew up in a Spanish-speaking household.
'Having immigrant parents, it was very hard for me to understand and for them to be able to help me do my work and all of that,' Nunez said. 'Me being here, I feel very happy helping to teach the kids because I understand that barrier, and I know it can be very difficult.'
Nunez loves working with the kids.
'They're super fun, super smart and they're just very good kids,' Nunez said. 'I love that a lot of kids feel comfortable enough to talk to us and tell us about things that may be going on at home or around them, and it really gives us a better view of their life and how we could really help them.'
About 15 to 20 elementary school students are in the mentorship program.
'They really look up to the high school kids,' said Melissa White, the principal at Johnson Park Elementary. 'I think their words and affirmations mean much more to these kids because they're still young and cool. And that's more appealing to the kids than it coming from one of us.'
White said that, honestly, the high schoolers are relatable. It's nice to see the formed connections.
A South Lindhurst High School teacher, Jackie Midthun, said she has also noticed that the high school students are motivated to be better role models.
'I had one particular student, (and) the parents have commented how their language has changed at home, and it's positive. And it's because she's trying really hard to be that role model,' Midthun said.
Lindhurst High School sophomore Emily Sanchez, a mentor for the program, noted that she used to be a kid like them.
'I think the language barrier is a big thing because these kids definitely have a lot of potential in life,' Sanchez said. 'The only thing that's holding them back is just the language barrier, and I think a lot of people should offer this program at their (schools) because it helps kids out.'
