Gioconda Jackson had been studying marketing when she left her native Ecuador to join her sister in Wenatchee, where she planned to finish her degree. I felt so sorry for them because I could see myself in them. So I put my marketing career aside and began to think about becoming a teacher. But I think it's worth it. Jackson believes that the difficulty of being a Hispanic child in America's schools is underestimated.
Many people believe they just have to deal with the language.
It's not true. Jackson says children are under intense pressure not only to learn English and academic content but also to rapidly adapt to an alien culture. I can understand their fears. The Priority Hispanic Certification Program's mission of helping language-minority children ties in closely with the college's founding philosophy. Since its founding 14 years ago, the college has focused on addressing the educational needs of Central Washington adults who, because they are bound by work and family responsibilities to a rural locale, would otherwise be unable to pursue quality higher education.