Springdale High School bilingual program now includes elementary students

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Springdale High School students in a bilingual program are expanding their knowledge all while sharing it, with elementary students.

Two Springdale elementary schools have had the opportunity to learn basics in Spanish and Marshallese from high school students.

Yisela Mancia is a junior in the bilingual program at Springdale High School. She thinks the bilingual program is great, and she is grateful to be a part of this journey, teaching younger students their heritage and native languages. "I think they look up to me because as I remember when I was in middle, elementary school I would see older kids or teachers and I would look up to them and I hope like they would do the same," said Mancia.

This year the bilingual program is making a book over the holidays with the elementary students. Its purpose is to teach students how to put words and ideas on a piece of paper.

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"I'm thinking my book, will help little kids connect with their culture and show the importance of what connecting with their culture can do with them and with family," said Mancia.

Bayyarie Elementary Principal Mary Mullican thinks the program will help a majority of the elementary students and all of them are eager to learn. "I have about 76 percent of my students here that are English as a second language learners. And so I think it really helps promote their native language and for them to have pride in their culture and their language," said Mullican.

Senior high school student Shumiko Nini Clement is grateful to be part of this bilingual program. Mainly Because all of the elementary students are now part of her journey all while starting their own. "We take those kids and bring them onto our journey where they can improve their skills and their heritage language and know more about their culture within the U.S. because we are also learning as bilingual bulldogs. We're learning through them and they're learning through us," said Clement.

Principal Mullican sees the pride in the bilingual bulldogs from Springdale High and she is excited to see it from Bayyarie students as well. "Our students can have that same pride, and continue to use their native languages and just have good relationships because they see people that have experiences like them, who look like them," said Mullican.