A group of diplomatic Bridgewater-Raritan High School students are determined to make a difference.
These 10 high school students comprise the Multilingual Ambassador Program, which is in its second year of providing valuable assistance around the campus.
LeighAnn Matthews, the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District’s tireless and energetic Supervisor of World Language/English as a Second Language (WL/ESL), created the Multilingual Ambassador Program during her first year in her current role for the 2023-2024 school year.
This school year, she passed the torch to guide this program–without missing a beat—to two of the high school’s ELS Teachers, Delfina Picchio and Jaime Bandel.
Ms. Picchio and Mx. Bandel explained this productive and caring group of students.
“A select group of students from the high school Multilingual (ML) Program have been selected to serve as ambassadors. Through this program, the students in the ML P program advocate for changes and make program suggestions for the improved well-being of their peers.”
The two educators shared the mission of these student diplomats.
“The group aims to strengthen connections between linguistically diverse students and their teachers by developing a student-led action project. This year, our students chose two action projects—-Combatting Culture Shock and Raising Teacher Awareness of MLs in the Classroom.”
The work has been ongoing, and both teachers believe it will achieve a positive purpose.
“Students have just finished designing the roadmaps to implement their projects by identifying the end goals, as well as people and materials needed to get their projects underway. At the end of the year, students hope to present their work to administrators to ensure their projects are made permanent to effect lasting changes.”
Mia Martinez, a junior, is in her second year as an Ambassador. She spoke of her commitment during a recent meeting in Room 7111.
“I want to help people who do not speak English,” she said. “I think problems can happen when people can’t speak English, so I want to make a smoother and more comfortable experience.”
Sophomore Renzo Louis Tadena, who is in his first year in the group, said he “wants to be there to help non-English speakers.”
Here are the 10 high school student Ambassadors working as a team to make an impact.
Thonieann Angel Abengania
Jarixa Agosto
Nicole Ardila Bustos
Valentina Ardila Valens
Ahne Trixie Fatalla
Kimberly Guzman
Maxim Havrylenko
Mia Martinez
Kelmary Siezar Martinez
Renzo Louis Tadena