Citizen leaders step up, give kids a better chance

As the cultural diversity of Snohomish County grows, so do language barriers. For children, that can make learning – particularly reading and writing – seem like an insurmountable challenge.

And as learning standards rise to better prepare students to succeed in a competitive world, language barriers threaten to leave immigrant children behind. Some haven’t grasped English well enough to keep up with their peers, and some can’t get reading help at home because their parents speak little or no English.

So it was heartening to learn of a recent success story in Marysville, where a group of Hispanic business leaders teamed up to meet a pressing need. Educators at Liberty Elementary School issued a plea for sets of bilingual books and tapes to allow the school’s 65 Hispanic students – nearly 15 percent of the student body – a better chance to succeed in reading.

A parent passed the plea on to Carlos Veliz, owner of a successful engineering firm in Everett. Veliz got the word out to other Hispanic businesses, and quickly had raised the $1,250 needed for the kits that the cash-strapped district couldn’t afford.

Veliz, who while growing up in San Diego benefited from the guidance of mentors like himself, believes he and other Hispanic leaders can be positive role models, showing children that people like them can succeed through education. Once children reach a certain plateau in learning, Veliz believes, they’ll avoid behavior that leads to unhappy consequences. Then they can help lead the next generation.

Liberty Principal Heidi Johnsen appreciates the efforts of Veliz and his colleagues.

“Thanks to them,” Johnsen said in an e-mail message to The Herald, “we have several translators whom we can call upon in a moment to translate letters home, flyers, read-at-home calendars, etc. We also have an opportunity for our Hispanic students to see professional role models. We intend to continue and build upon this relationship in the future.”

These are the kinds of relationships that build communities, the bonds that ensure no one is denied the opportunity to succeed.

These leaders are role models not just for the kids at Liberty Elementary, but for other cultural communities across the county who have time, talent or money to give to their children’s future.

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