A service-learning project for her ethics class at Inver Hills was a natural fit with Leilani Rodriguez's own experience. A native Spanish speaker, she grew up in Mexico and moved to the United States with her family eight years ago. After a couple of years in intensive ESL in the St. Paul schools, she went into regular classes in 8th grade and excelled.
Leilani, who first attended Inver Hills as a PSEO student, tutored Spanish-speaking students at Inver Grove Heights Middle School. "I helped them with their English skills through ESL teaching for the first hour, then we spent another hour and a half on their other subjects," says Leilani, who speaks English fluently. In addition to helping the younger students with their studies, Leilani helped them in other ways, both personal and practical. "Sometimes I was helping by motivating them or keeping their spirits up. You can tell that sometimes they had doubts about school." She reassured them, but she also challenged them. "I reminded them that now is the time to learn English, to become a good student, because they won't always get the attention they do now." Although the service-learning requirement was only 10 to15 hours, Leilani put in over 30.
Leilani took a full college load both spring and fall of her senior year in high school, and kept a g.p.a. over 3.80, while also taking a math class at her home high school, Simley. Leilani continued at Inver Hills after high school graduation in the spring. She says she wants to transfer to the U of M in 2006, possibly to the Carlson School of Management. "I really like working with people, but I'm maybe not patient enough to teach kids. I'm really interested in business management, and I would like to explore that."
Inver Hills is a good fit for Leilani, she says. "I like Inver Hills because it's small, and it feels like home here."
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