INDIANAPOLIS — Celebrating Hispanic heritage inside the classroom is something Enlace Academy, a west charter school is making sure to honor.
The name Enlace derives from the Spanish word for link or connection. The school says they seek to be the hub of community for families and to create meaningful connections with community partners, so their students, staff, and families can be healthy and happy.
Inside Mrs. Rosalia Oliva's classroom she is speaking both Spanish and English.
It's something you will find in just about every classroom at the school. It's a bilingual classroom setting to help kids lean into their heritage.
"I always say to my kids, you have a super power. Because you have the power of two languages. You speak English, but you don't forget your Spanish," Oliva said.
More than 75% of students at Enlace are multilingual learners.
Enlace Quick Facts
- Enlace Academy serves 675 students in grades K-8th grade.
- 80% of Enlace’s students are multilingual learners
- Enlace’s student population is apx. 80% LatinX students and 15% Black or African American
- Most of Enlace’s students are from the local neighborhood
- Enlace Academy has 26 bilingual/multilingual staff members.
- 49% of Enlace staff members are LatinX/Hispanic, Black/AA, or multiracial
- Enlace Academy represents students born in 14+ different countries, but there are many more countries represented in Enlace’s staff and students.
- Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Venezuela,
"Everything that we do in our building is also received in their native language," Stephanie Campos the head of Enlace said.
Campos said it's important to give students a place to learn that they feel comfortable in.
"Making sure we're understanding the kids background knowledge, making sure that everything we're doing is comprehensible. Whether that's auditory, whether that's visual. So there's a lot of things we are doing outside of just making sure we have it translated," Campos said.
It's all about meeting kids where they are.
For Oliva, it's a chance to lean into her roots.
A first year teacher in the United States, after teaching in Mexico for 9-years.
"It's incredible," Oliva said. "I'm not going to lie, it's like my dream come true."
Oliva once was an immigrant too afraid to speak English in America. Now she's using both languages in her classroom.
"Making sure we're understanding the kids background knowledge, making sure that everything we're doing is comprehensible. Whether that's auditory, whether that's visual. So there's a lot of things we are doing outside of just making sure we have it translated," Oliva said.
Making that fear no longer a reality for adults is something Enlace leans on.
They are teaching beyond the school week, and educating parents on the weekend.
It's a space for parents to learn English literacy. Enlace Academy says it's their chance to bridge the gap between home and school.
"Research shows that when a parent is involved in a child's learning their children will grow exponentially," Megan Singh a literacy teacher at Enlace said.
She helps lead the class on weekends, and offers a program where she goes to family's homes.
"Not all of our parents are literate in their first language or in English. I give them ideas on how they can build their comprehension skills," Singh said.
Singh says an important part of her class is remembering families Hispanic Heritage.
"Encouraging parents to recognize their experience and how they have a wealth of knowledge to share with their children we're helping our children and the parents grow and become more confident in each other," Singh said.
For parents like Carmen Nolasco, she called it a saving grace.
"I need communication especially if you go to the doctor, the school, everywhere you need to speak. Or you need a way fro somebody to relay it for you, and I don't have time for waiting. So I try every single day. I practice," Nolasco said.
Enlace Academy is accepting new parent students. The only requirement is that you are connected to an Enlace Student.
For more information about Enlace Academy, visit www.EnlaceAcademy.org.
