ZEELAND, Mich. — High school isn’t always easy when trying to make new friends and make good grades. It’s likely even harder for students who don’t speak English. That’s why one high schooler in Zeeland came up with a brand-new program to give those students a little extra help and support.
Olivia Wilson is a junior at Zeeland Public Schools. She told 13 ON YOUR SIDE, “We have a lot of kids who are coming from other countries.”
The district has nearly 250 international students, many of them having to learn English for the first time. There are students enrolled from Africa, Korea, Honduras, Guatemala, Venezuela and Mexico.
“It would be so hard. I can’t even imagine what these kids go through,” said Wilson, who in her freshman year befriended a student from Nicaragua. That student shared with Wilson some of the challenges.
“Like not having his homework in a language that he understood or feeling like he wasn’t really included with our school culture just because there was that language barrier,” Wilson said.
Now 16 years old, Wilson has helped to start the ZAmigos program.
“I think everyone should be able to participate and be able to feel safe, valued and loved here,” said Wilson.
Our crew sat down with two brothers from Mexico, freshman Axel Nino Vasquez and sophomore Nahir Nino Vasquez. They moved here just over a month ago.
Diego Valdez is a sophomore and interpreted for the brothers.
“He said that not knowing English here can be very hard and knowing English takes a lot of hard work and dedication.”
Valdez explained that brothers shared how helpful ZAmigos has been.
“He said being part of ZAmigos has helped him know more people and make more friends,” said Valdez on behalf of the brothers.
The students involved with ZAmigos have monthly parties or fiestas. The group also offers extra guidance on schoolwork from other students.
“A lot of these kids are really smart. They just don’t have the resources they need to succeed sometimes because the material is not in a language they understand,” said Wilson, who is also fluent in Spanish thanks to the district’s Spanish Immersion Program.
She hopes to see the district one day offer ZAmigos as a class, and would like to see other districts offer something similar.
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