BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Broken Arrow Public Schools celebrated 133 students who reached a milestone years in the making: demonstrating English proficiency and completing the State’s English Learner Program.
The district has more than 1,200 students currently enrolled in the program.
The recognition honored students who learned English while also keeping up with grade-level coursework. Completing the program means they have developed the language skills to independently handle the academic and social demands of school without specialized language support.
For Broken Arrow Freshman Academy student McKenzie Guevera, the accomplishment is tied to memories of growing up speaking both English and Spanish.
She told 2 News Oklahoma her parents did not initially speak each other’s languages, making communication difficult. Over time, her mother became fluent in Spanish and her father became strong in English.
Guevera still vividly remembers when she realized she needed help learning to speak English. In kindergarten, she wanted a teacher to put her hair in a ponytail but did not know the English term “hair tie.”
Years later, she is among the students being recognized for completing the State's English Learner's Program.
Other honorees brought their own languages and experiences to Broken Arrow.
Isabela Lopez-Lizano, who came from Ecuador, said she feels very good about completing the required tests to exit the program.
At home, her family continues speaking Spanish so she can maintain her first language while using English at school.
An Tran, who moved to Broken Arrow from Vietnam, said being able to speak more than one language is “really cool” because it gives her the chance to teach classmates words from her first language.
She described the celebration for becoming official bilingual as “really exciting.”
Becky Bowman with the district’s English Learners Program said their students come from a range of backgrounds and speak many different languages. Some were born outside the United States, while others were born locally, but all have worked hard to pass the test designating them as bilingual.
“Statistically, it takes about seven years to acquire a new language,” Bowman said. “But obviously these students are rock stars, and some of them have met that goal much earlier.”
The students were recognized by the district alongside their families, educators and friends, who marked the achievement with applause and cheers.
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