English learners interview successful immigrants

The South Country Central School Board held a workshop meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

At the opening of the meeting, high school ENL (English as a new language)/ELA teacher Stephanie Factor addressed the board in regards to Hispanic Heritage Month.

Factor is an ENL/ELA teacher at Bellport High School. Her profile at a local arts council lists her as “passionate about learning about other cultures and traditions and [taking] Spanish-language classes in Cuernavaca, Mexico.”

Assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and accountability, Jaclyn O’Hagan, introduced Factor and emphasized her strong devotion to students who are learning English as a new language and her attuned teaching for those ENL students taking the Regents exams.

“Your teaching and your impact on our students have resulted in so incredibly amazing results... and I really want to honor her and her immense work,” said O’Hagan.

Factor has been in charge of Hispanic Heritage Month at the high school for the past four years. In previous years, she had students interview staff members of the school district who spoke Spanish so students could speak to them in their native tongue. This year, Factor said she casted a wider net and asked community members from all over Suffolk Country with help from Suffolk’s Hispanic Advisory Board.

Brentwood superintendent Wanda Ortiz Rivera was one of the community members who attended and spoke of her journey to the United States from Puerto Rico, which began with no knowledge of English at the age of 16.

This was particularly inspiring for Factor’s most beginner-level English-language learners.

Other attendees included a bank president, a popular radio host, barbers, Factor’s personal tattoo artist, and her physical therapist.

“They really got to hear different journeys, different paths, and they were really inspired. It was really exciting because a lot of them have the careers my students want to do. So many kids were excited about the barbers,” said Factor.

Many of factors students are also enrolled in the BOCES program for medical assistant.

Factor said after the interviews and the projects, the students tackled “big picture” issues like the advantages of bilingualism in life and whether college is necessary for success.

“They were able to use actual interviews and actual experiences to answer these questions. They used their own ideas with real-life sources to figure this out,” said Factor.

Interim superintendent John Dolan presented Factor with a congratulatory certificate and spoke about the bipartisan views shared on part of the No Child Left Behind legislation addressing English as a new language.

He stressed the ongoing direction needed from schools to help with assimilation.

“It’s amazing to see what happens when people like you show them the gift of what this country should be,” said Dolan. “The next two weeks are going to be crazy, no matter whose [side] you’re on. We need calmer voices of reason. I’m amazed at how many people speak and still don’t understand the Constitution. But because of you and people like you, you’re going to raise a better generation.”