Miami-Dade School Board members are in Tallahassee asking for more funding to meet the needs of the thousands of immigrant students who have arrived in South Florida so far this school year.
According to the school district, some 18,000 students, mostly from Cuba, are already studying at public schools in the county, such as Hialeah Gardens Senior High.
In this school, there are about 350 students of Esol, or English as a second language. This is the reason why Daniel Mejía created a club for students learning English.
Mejía, the founder of the Esol club, said: “I wanted to make it easier for people who had just gone through this process from the experience we have, to make it easier for them.”
The Aguila brothers arrived only 7 months ago from Cuba, they say that in this country they are sure to realize their dreams.
“Here there are options for everyone and everything has its branch and its club that you can join if you like it. And if you don’t decide on one thing, enter another,” says Genier Aguila, a student recently arrived from Cuba.
Meanwhile, his brother Jaddiel Aguila remarks, “Ever since I was little I’ve always loved animals and I’ve been in a school vet club.”
Some of these young people crossed Central America to reach the United States.
Nivvis Fernández, another student who recently arrived from Cuba, recounts having left “Cuba for Nicaragua. Every day I learn in the classes, the teachers help me a lot. Thanks to the Esol club, I have two Esol lessons every day”.
Roxana Rodríguez has written “The Road to Success” a book for newly arrived students. “It was like giving them the possibility that they could figure out what to start from scratch.”
So far this school year, 18,000 students from other countries are enrolled in Miami-Dade public schools. Most come from Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba, but for their education more resources are needed.
Miami-Dade School Board member Luisa Santos explains, “You give an estimate of how many students you think you’ll have, and we didn’t expect we were going to have that many students.
Luisa Santos is in Tallahasee today asking for more state funds, as is Roberto Alonso, who clarified that they are also trying to get more federal funds.
“Most of these students are in Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens, that’s important,” says Miami-Dade School Board member Alonso.
In total, school board members are asking for between $12 million and $14 million in public funds for programs like Esol.