Heritage Language Academy (HLA)

On Saturday, March 23, 2013, nearly 80 parents, students, and their families came to the School of Education at UNCG to participate in the Heritage Language Academy (HLA) graduation ceremony. The HLA program was developed as a university-school collaboration between the TESOL for ALL program at UNCG and Asheboro City Schools (ACS) in 2008. It aims at developing bilingual connections for students in both reading and math by building upon their home language backgrounds. Parents are also invited to participate in home literacy activities and a computer skills class. Dr. Barbara Levin and Dr. Ye He, co-PIs of the TESOL for ALL program, awarded certificates of completion to 22 parents and 37 elementary and middle school students this year. The 2013 HLA program was housed in Balfour Elementary School and North Asheboro Middle School with the support and leadership from ACS superintendent Dr. Diane Frost, assistant superintendent Jennifer Smith, principals Janet Means and Candace Call, assistant principals Holly White and Jordi Roman, and ESL lead teacher Dubraska Stines. HLA teachers included Carolina Agüero, Claudia Rodriguez, Meredith Wolfe, Melanie Golding, Marilu Arellano, and Sharon Cagle. It was also supported by Amanda and David Arellano, Asheboro High School Key Club, and other volunteers.