Many students at Aragon come from Spanish-speaking families and are learning English with the help of Edwin Martinez, Aragon’s English Learner Specialist and Parent Involvement Coordinator.
Not being able to speak in English can hinder a student’s growth in high school, so Martinez helps students by working with them regularly to ensure their success. Martinez also communicates with students’ families who don’t speak English.
“[My job] is to support the Latino population for families who don’t speak [English] and [help them look] for the resources on campus that probably are not available sometimes … because they don’t know the language,” Martinez said.
Each week, Martinez spends around 10 hours during school with students who may be struggling to keep up with their classes due to the language barrier, in addition to working with families. He is the main source of assistance these students have to help them understand the curriculum better.
“[I] do a follow up [on] how they do in school and encourage them to do the best they can,” Martinez said. “[I encourage them] to look for help in Flex-Time or tutoring after school, [or] to talk to the teacher when they don’t understand [something].”
Martinez helps students with their academic experiences at Aragon, but he is also available to help with personal matters.
“One person came and asked me for a recommendation letter to get a job,” Martinez said. “A week later, he came by and he said, ‘Oh, you know what, Mr. Martinez? Because [of] the letter that you wrote for me, they told me that they gave me the job.’ That was very satisfying for me.”
Special Education teacher Steve Labrum sees the impact that Martinez has had on students.
“He has a really positive personality,” Labrum said. “He is always willing to reach out, get in contact with families and communicate with them [about] things that are going on at the school that they might not be familiar with.”
In addition to personally working with students throughout the week, Martinez also works as Aragon’s Spanish Family Involvement Coordinator.
“It is very much a community that he’s built,” said academic counselor Josephine Ho. “That’s really important because many of our families and students need a person whom they feel safe and connected with, so they [are] open and willing to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings.”
Martinez has had a passion for helping communities in need from a young age.
“I grew up in a small village [back in] El Salvador,” Martinez said. “… I started doing volunteer jobs in church when I was only 12 years old. So the spirit of community and the spirit of service is in my blood.”
The service that Martinez has provided for Aragon over his 23 years has been invaluable, evident in his work with the counseling office.
“Actually, I depend on him a lot on translation and his connection with our families,” Ho said. “I leverage … the relationship he has built with these families … because I know that he has developed such a strong rapport with them that they trust him.”
Martinez hopes to support his students for the rest of his career and will continue to support students at Aragon.
“This has always been my goal to make a school attractive not only for students, but also for families,” Martinez said. “I see [myself continuing to] do what I’m doing.
As Martinez continues to work at Aragon, he stands as a beacon for students and inspires them to pursue a better education.
