Lucia Patino Iporre, an immigrant from Bolivia, entered Falls Church High School in March 2021.  She recognized how privileged she was to have received intensive English language study in a bilingual school in Bolivia.   From her first days at FCHS she was acutely aware of the language barriers for less fortunate students who did not have those language skills and were enrolled in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.  Lucia saw that this lack of English language skills affected these students’ entire high school experience from where to sit in the school cafeteria, having a basic understanding of the requirements for graduation, and participating in activities and clubs offered to all students.

At the start of her junior year, Lucia was chosen to become a Student Equity Ambassador leader.  Three students are selected from each Fairfax County High School to meet monthly with school administrators from throughout the county.  There she voiced the concerns of the ESOL community who wished to participate in high school life but felt excluded by the language barrier.  These meetings empowered Lucia to put her concerns into action to assist the ESOL students at her school.  Lucia started by translating the student activity bulletins and other school documents into Spanish.  Using Google Translate, this practice was ultimately extended by the FCHS staff into additional translations for Vietnamese and Urdu speakers, the next two most widely spoken non-English languages at her school.  Lucia also asked student club officers to encourage non-English native speaking students to participate in clubs and to try out for sports.  She was especially delighted when a friend made it to varsity soccer, a team he had not previously realized was open to him.

Lucia is an officer for the Spanish Honor Society chapter at her school, where she proposed starting an English and math tutoring program for ESOL students.  Many of these students arrived late in their high school careers and had not received formal high school education in their homelands. The tutoring programs, geared specifically to their needs, have been helpful.  These tutorials have also blossomed into an opportunity for Spanish-speaking students to ask questions about high school and life in the United States.

Lucia and the other two Equity Ambassador leaders are starting a student equity council so that students will have a safe space to express their ideas to the school administration.  Lucia pointed out that the school recently had a bilingual DJ for a school dance, which brought the students together.  Lucia feels that her school has made progress towards insuring that ESOL students feel welcomed to participate in the various school activities, making it better for all.

Lucia plans to attend college and major in economics and policy with the goal of continuing to help other people.