Ever since arriving in Marshalltown, Kennia Reyes and other Newcomer students have sought a way to share their stories and the experiences of others with similar journeys. After discussing their idea with staff members at Marshalltown High School (MHS), they discovered a way to bring it to life.
Even better, they found a way to showcase it.
Reyes and her classmates in the Newcomers class took the initiative to decorate the display case outside the MHS main office. Each element of the display holds special meaning, representing their unique experiences as students at MHS. With guidance from David Santana, Student Senate advisor, the project took six weeks to complete.
“We want the town and community to know because it is a huge barrier to not speaking English and we want the community to know what we can do without speaking English,” said Reyes.
The main features of the display include flags representing all the nations students at MHS originate from, handcrafted images of a seed growing, and a tree on the right side with handprints as leaves. According to Reyes, many of the colorful leaves contain words and lessons the newcomer and English Language Learner students have learned while attending MHS.
Reyes explained that the blooming seed symbolizes their growth in confidence and ability. The sophomore added it reflects the journey many Newcomer students experience when they arrive in Marshalltown and begin their academic journey.
“I felt whole (seeing the final product),” said Reyes with a smile. “When I arrived here from Mexico, I didn’t think nor imagine that I was going to be able to do this. We had pressure that it needed to be done, but that pressure helped me to say ‘let’s get it done.’ (Another student and I) were the main ones, so we had to set an example of what needed to be done.”
Santana said Reyes and a few other Newcomer students, inspired by their work in Student Senate, approached him with a desire to share their story but were initially unsure how to proceed. He suggested they take the lead in creating a display for the main entrance case.
“It was the first time ever for everybody, so (Reyes and other Newcomer students) were the ones trying to organize everything,” said Santana. “It was a lot of work, but in the end it was worth it.”
Reyes said they are pleased with the reactions from the school community and Marshalltown residents after a post was shared on the MHS Facebook page.
“They want to make sure, even if they don’t speak English right now, they want to make sure they’re doing things for the school,” said Santana.
With their newfound confidence and pride in showcasing their school spirit, these students are eager to find new ways to share their story.
“We were able to make a display but maybe now we can make something bigger than that,” said Reyes.