HOUSTON – Aldine ISD opened a new school for students who’ve moved to the United States in the last three years.
“I guess we had a lot of expectations, but then when you get here, then reality hits you,” said Teacher Efrain Zavala.
Zavala was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. when he was 15.
“The majority of students were white students, so we heard English everywhere we went in the school, so yeah, it was scary,” said Zavala.
Olivia Tran is from Vietnam and relocated when she was 15.
“I was so nervous because I didn’t speak any English and I was like, ‘How could I study? How can I graduate from high school?’” said Tran.
Zavala and Tran wanted an education and a better life.
It led them to Aldine ISD’s new school named La Promesa or “The Promise” in English, where they’ll have the opportunity to help children on the same journey.
“We’re here not only to teach them English and have them graduate from high school, but we also want to be that bridge from their culture to the American culture,” said Principal Fernanda Flores who was born in Mexico. “We have recent arrivals that are having a hard time coming into the public education system in high school because they’re feeling lost because it’s very different than what we’re coming from in our countries.”
The school is dedicated to students who have come to the U.S. in the last three years.
Each child will keep the same teachers until graduation.
“We wanna make sure that they have their village here,” said Flores. “The same four teachers that you have this year, somehow they’re going to continue to follow you so that you can have those mentors.”
The mentors want to inspire students, reminding them, their hard work will pay off.
“I want to tell them, ‘You know what? I went through the same thing you’re going through and you’re gonna be fine,’” said Zavala. “They just need to find the right people to talk to and they have options, and they will have an opportunity for a bright future.
For more information on the new school or to register, families can visit https://lapromesa.aldineisd.org/