KIND WAYS: KINDNESS ERASES STUDENTS' LANGUAGE BARRIERS

JACKSON, Mo. -- When classes began at Jackson High School last fall, it was immediately obvious that two new students who spoke almost no English and were taking trigonometry, chemistry and biology needed help.

The students, sisters Catherine and Nathalie Lozano, had moved to the area from Bogota, Colombia, with their parents and younger brother.

Although they didn't understand the language, school records indicated the two were enrolled in subjects they should be capable of completing, even in a different country.

To ease their transition from one-room, Spanish speaking schools in Colombia to the multi-building campus in Jackson where only English is spoken, the girls also were enrolled in Spanish IV, the highest level of Spanish taught at the high school.

There, their 20 classmates used a combination of hand gestures, flash cards and well-thumbed English-Spanish dictionaries to help the girls learn English quickly and get used to their new home.

"It was a challenge," said Brent Lewis. "We learned more Spanish by helping them learn English."

Foreign-language teacher Donna Ellis said when students made presentations in her Spanish IV class, most of them were required to speak in Spanish. However, the Lozanos were required to make the same presentations in English to hone their skills.

By working together, all of her students have gained in language comprehension this year.

"Each day we would get them to identify problems, then the kids took over and found a solution to whatever it was that was bothering them the most," said Ellis. "They have just spent an incredible amount of time helping these kids survive in their classes."

It wasn't long before the students progressed from fledgling chats that most often ended in requests for Ellis to translate to deep conversations that could be held in either language.

Jackson teen-agers worked as translators for the girls in classes and scanned the Internet for sites that explained class subjects in Spanish.

Despite a rough beginning, the girls said they are proud of their accomplishments and thankful to classmates for the help they provided.

"In other classes, you see the same groups working together all the time," said Catherine. "Here we are sharing all the time -- like a family."

Catherine, 18, and Nathalie, 16, say classes are no longer a problem for them. They're even acting like typical Jackson teen-agers, leaving the school for an off-campus lunch with friends and attending sporting events.

Thanks to their classmates, who found dresses for the sisters and arranged for free hair appointments at local beauty salons, they even went to the prom.

"It was like a new experience for me," Catherine said. "In South America you have parties all the time. Here, it was more special -- like they say, a big deal. It was fun."

Missionary work

Joselid Lozano, the girls' father, has been amazed by the progress his daughters have made this year.

"It was a big miracle for us," he said. "We pray for the girls and they went to school and start to practice."

Lozano moved his family to the region last summer so he could work as a missionary through the Cape Girardeau Baptist Association to provide religious and other services to some 200 Spanish-speaking people in the region.

Although his daughters wanted to be home-schooled, Lozano said he sent them to Jackson High School so they could learn to speak and write English.

"I had been practicing English for a long time and I tried to help them with some translations, but it was hard for me to do it," he said. "We were studying just a little bit, but now they had the opportunity to grasp it."

First Christmas

While Lozano said he was surprised by the help his daughters initially received, it was the arrival of a Christmas caravan in December loaded with gifts and a tree for the family that made him cry.

"All the students participated in giving us a wonderful, wonderful Christmas. I think this was the most wonderful Christmas we have," Lozano said. "Many, many people came to our home sharing with us, setting up the Christmas tree -- it was something very nice."

Students at the school secretly collected nearly $800 for the family's first Christmas in the United States. Spanish IV students bought gifts for each family member and wrapped them, much to the delight of 3-year old Joselid Jr.

Students said the Christmas gifts were provided to welcome the family to the region.

"We all just really wanted them to feel like we cared because we knew it was their first year away from home," said Sarah Propst.

With just weeks remaining in the school year and nearly all of the Spanish IV students set to graduate, one final event is planned to help the Lozano family settle into the region.

Spanish IV students will sponsor a car wash from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in front of the old Wal-Mart store. All proceeds will be given to the family.

Want to Go?

WHAT: Car wash

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: In front of the old Wal-Mart store on Jackson Boulevard.

INFORMATION: Spanish IV students are sponsoring the car wash with all proceeds to benefit the Lozano family.