- Your nation needs you. English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing segment of K-12 students in the United States. In the next ten years, 1 out of every 4 students in the U.S. will be an English language learner (NCELA, 2007), they need great teachers who understand their unique needs.
- Your church needs you. Approximately 55% of all U.S. Catholics under the age of 30 are Hispanic (Our Sunday Visitor, 2014). These children represent the future of the Catholic Church, and they deserve faith-filled, culturally adept teachers.
- Your school needs you. Every teacher in Catholic schools must see themselves as a language teacher, whether it's frontloading vocabulary in gym class, using visual supports in science, or inviting students to write in art class. Catholic schools need strong teacher-leaders who persuade colleagues to try new techniques.
- Your students need you. English language learners have unique academic needs that are too easily overlooked. The ENL Hernandez Fellows program helps teachers develop a deep understanding of the process of language acquisition, research-based instructional strategies, and culturally sustaining practices that help ELLs and all students thrive. ELLs deserve expert educators.
- Your school families need you. Catholic schools were created to serve immigrants and continue to be uniquely positioned to serve today’s immigrant populations. Families deserve teachers who welcome them into active participation in the school community and celebrate their language and culture.