Meet Paola, who is in the 7th grade and a student in our out-of-school time programming at New Brookside Learning Center. Paola is an English Language Learner (ELL). When she began school in this summer, her English speaking and comprehension skills were limited. She didn’t feel confident and initially became resistant to speaking English.
The Community Lodgings staff and support team encouraged her to speak English and practice regularly. One of her teachers shared that Paola has been more willing to speak English over the last few months, and in doing so, she also moved to an Honors science class.
Paola told us, “I like the program because the teachers help me with my homework. The teachers also support me, I get food, and it’s really fun to be here.”
Paola achieved A’s and B’s in all of her classes! We are proud of her academic achievements. She is on a good path and moving forward in her education. It has been incredible to witness Paola’s resilience and tenacity.
