MONROE - Not knowing a word of English, Josefina Elias, 18, moved to Monroe three years ago from the state of Michoacan in Mexico.
"It was scary," she said. "I understood nothing."
On Sunday, having made great strides in her command of the English language, she graduates with her classmates from Monroe High School.
During her years at MHS, Elias has been a student of the month and a student teacher assistant in Spanish classes; earned high marks in her courses; and availed herself to translate for other Spanish-speaking students wherever she found them.
"Because I know it's hard for people to understand. It makes it easier for them," she said. "It's a good thing to do."
She helped Spanish-speaking grade school children at Parkside Elementary School while job-shadowing a teacher last year. Teachers told her the children would smile but not speak.
"There were three little kids; they were just sitting there," she said. "But when I talked to them, they would talk to me."
Elias said she helped translate for two high school students on the soccer team this past school year. She believes being part of the team and being around other students more often helped the players "get it" quicker.
Translating not only helps her and other Spanish-speaking students, Elias said, but English-speaking ones as well.
"Not knowing the foreign language causes others to feel uncomfortable," she said.
At home, Elias's family speaks Spanish to each other, but switching between English and Spanish is not difficult for her, she said.
"But sometimes, I get Spanish words mixed in with the English," she said with a smile.
Although her family members know some English, Elias said her English is better than that of her older brother and sisters. She attributes it in part to her high school English Language Learning (ELL) classes and reading books written in English, favoring the fiction genre.
"Reading English helps me with pronunciation better," she said.
Her efforts have impressed staff at MHS.
"Josefina has become basically fluent in English in only three years," said Sara Ackerman, Elias' ELL teacher.
"She is intelligent, caring, and nice. In fact, she has become our family's baby sitter," Ackerman said.
Ackerman said Elias was always willing to help newcomers by translating not only in class, but also with filling out forms.
The ELL classes teach vocabulary, grammar, spelling, reading and writing. Among her other classes - math, cooking, art and history - Elias said math was the easiest from the beginning, because it deals with numbers. History was the hardest.
"When I first got here, I tried, like in math, just to pay attention to what she was doing," Elias explained.
Just learning to pay attention in classes paid off in other ways, she discovered.
In Mexico, Elias admitted, her school grades were poor, and her friends' grades were no better.
"Really bad," she said. "I didn't care about school."
Today, her family is proud of her accomplishments and for getting a better education.
Elias advises people to learn a second language.
"When you speak two languages, you can get a job easier," she said.
"It was scary," she said. "I understood nothing."
On Sunday, having made great strides in her command of the English language, she graduates with her classmates from Monroe High School.
During her years at MHS, Elias has been a student of the month and a student teacher assistant in Spanish classes; earned high marks in her courses; and availed herself to translate for other Spanish-speaking students wherever she found them.
"Because I know it's hard for people to understand. It makes it easier for them," she said. "It's a good thing to do."
She helped Spanish-speaking grade school children at Parkside Elementary School while job-shadowing a teacher last year. Teachers told her the children would smile but not speak.
"There were three little kids; they were just sitting there," she said. "But when I talked to them, they would talk to me."
Elias said she helped translate for two high school students on the soccer team this past school year. She believes being part of the team and being around other students more often helped the players "get it" quicker.
Translating not only helps her and other Spanish-speaking students, Elias said, but English-speaking ones as well.
"Not knowing the foreign language causes others to feel uncomfortable," she said.
At home, Elias's family speaks Spanish to each other, but switching between English and Spanish is not difficult for her, she said.
"But sometimes, I get Spanish words mixed in with the English," she said with a smile.
Although her family members know some English, Elias said her English is better than that of her older brother and sisters. She attributes it in part to her high school English Language Learning (ELL) classes and reading books written in English, favoring the fiction genre.
"Reading English helps me with pronunciation better," she said.
Her efforts have impressed staff at MHS.
"Josefina has become basically fluent in English in only three years," said Sara Ackerman, Elias' ELL teacher.
"She is intelligent, caring, and nice. In fact, she has become our family's baby sitter," Ackerman said.
Ackerman said Elias was always willing to help newcomers by translating not only in class, but also with filling out forms.
The ELL classes teach vocabulary, grammar, spelling, reading and writing. Among her other classes - math, cooking, art and history - Elias said math was the easiest from the beginning, because it deals with numbers. History was the hardest.
"When I first got here, I tried, like in math, just to pay attention to what she was doing," Elias explained.
Just learning to pay attention in classes paid off in other ways, she discovered.
In Mexico, Elias admitted, her school grades were poor, and her friends' grades were no better.
"Really bad," she said. "I didn't care about school."
Today, her family is proud of her accomplishments and for getting a better education.
Elias advises people to learn a second language.
"When you speak two languages, you can get a job easier," she said.