Spanish Immersion Programs

Spanish immersion programs have become popular throughout the United States, and now many schools in Utah, such as Sand Springs Elementary in Layton are starting to use these programs as well.

Sand Springs Elementary is one of 263 schools in the United States that have adopted a Spanish immersion program. These programs give parents the option of putting their children in a bilingual setting that allows them to fluently speak Spanish at the end of fifth or sixth grade. This gives the children the opportunity to take advantage of the current immigration situation in the United States

According to the U.S. Census, by the year 2050 the Hispanic population in the United States will be approximately 102.6 million, which is 24 percent of the population.

Jane Eskelsen, a teacher at Sand Springs, is one of three teachers at the school who believe these types of numbers are important. For that reason the school has agreed to help kids learn Spanish throughout their elementary years. This does not take away from the kid’s learning in English. The school’s curriculum is taught in both languages.

The Spanish immersion program at Sand Springs will help the kids involved be better off in the long run. When 24 percent of the population is Spanish speaking they will have the advantage of knowing the language and getting better jobs. Companies in the United States pay bilingual employees more than those who just speak English. It is a skill that is very valuable in the work place.

States such as California, Wisconsin and New Mexico started these types of programs over 15 years ago to address the needs of immigrants.

The children in these programs have had a very successful experience in the Spanish immersion programs. Over 80 percent of students who are in Spanish immersion programs, from kindergarten to sixth grade, graduate elementary with the ability to speak two languages.

The students at Sand Springs Elementary School enjoy what they are learning. “Most students do very well at their Spanish and enjoy learning,” said Jennifer Webster, the first-grade immersion teacher at Sand Springs. “Some may struggle at times but most are advancing very well.”

Volunteers are needed at the school. Many volunteers go to Sand Springs to help the children learn Spanish and the subjects they are required to know. “I love seeing the kids learn and speak Spanish,” said Taylor Arnold, a volunteer at Sand Springs.

The love for the program is common among teachers, students and volunteers at Sand Springs Elementary. Principal, Rebecca Hunt, is pleased with the progress the program has had in its first two years and is excited to see how the children continue to progress in the coming years. Sand Springs is in the first stages of its Spanish immersion development and teachers expect great things to come in the future.

David Sanger Speaks About Iraq

In a speech given Friday at Weber State University to an audience of about 70 people, David Sanger talks about what it is like to cover war and things that President Bush has kept from the American public.

Sanger, a seasoned journalist who has covered the president for the New York Times for the last seven years, has seen many things going on in Washington that much of the American public doesn’t know about and many mistakes that the United States government has made during President Bush’s term. Some of things the government has asked him not to publish. In the end, the newspaper can decide to print it or not. The government can’t say what to print or not.

Sanger said governments can make errors because they are made up of human beings. This is not said to excuse all of the mistakes that the government made. Sanger went on to say that the government was able to get around proper legislation in order to start the war on terror in Iraq.

The government has made many other mistakes during and leading up to the recent wars. Sanger said, the government has made many presumptions that have proven to be false. It was believed by Bush that if the United States was able to establish a democratic government in Iraq that it would spread throughout the Middle East said Sanger.

The conflict in Afghanistan put a false sense of security in the minds of government officials. Things were settled in Afghanistan so quickly that the United Sates thought things would go equally as quick in Iraq.

Afghanistan was called “the good war” by many, said Sanger. But, “it is at risk to go bad.” With things in Iraq going so poorly it is making things that happened in Afghanistan worth nothing. All of the accomplishments made in Afghanistan are starting to disappear. The United States is focusing so much on Iraq that Afghanistan is being forgotten, and they are going back to their old ways. Iraq was supposed to be an 18-month long war. The fact that we are going on well over four years now is making Afghanistan seem like it was useless.

Other mistakes have been made by the government, including not worrying about Iran during the Iraqi war. According to Sanger, Bush and his administration thought that things in Iran would not proceed due to what they saw in Iraq. “They were wrong.” said Sanger. They thought that Iraq would become the example to the rest of the middle east and they wouldn’t have to worry about Iran or any other middle eastern countries.

The Bush administration denies secret prisons have been set up throughout the world. The current administration thought it could keep it a secret from the American public, but it has become harder and harder with more time spent in Iraq. Sanger said that this is just another example of mistakes that Bush has made. All of these things would be unknown without the press.

The press is a very important part of the United States. “Only the press could have shown what is going on,” ,in Iraq Sanger said. “The government never would have said anything.” The press is given the rights to publish what it wants to disclose any of these secrets by the Constitution. The war has been a difficult case for the press to cover.

“Hard cases make bad law, but they make good journalism.”

This is the type of attitude that Sanger expressed throughout his speech. Sanger is one of many journalists in the country that help the American public realize the truth about what is going on in Iraq. He takes this duty very seriously. It is a responsibility that he feels must not be taken lightly. The American public has the right to know what is going on in the war in Iraq.

Steps Program in Davis County

The Steps program at the Vista Center in Farmington is set up to help post-high school students with disabilities live a better life, but the teachers are also rewarded for their service.

Steps is set up to help its students prepare to enter the work force and learn how to do everyday activities that most of us take for granted.

Tasks such as doing laundry, ordering food in a restaurant, cooking and riding the bus are some of the activities that Steps teachers help their students learn.

This is a very rewarding system for the students, but the teachers are among those being rewarded the most.

“I get the opportunity to work with truly unique and outstanding individuals.” said Scott Francis, a teacher involved in the Steps program. “These students have taught me things about myself I could have never discovered anywhere else.” Things about life that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. The students make life so simple. They show the teachers not to make life too complicated.

Seeing the students’ progression and seeing them finally click after teaching them for so long is the most rewarding part of the program for Stephanie Baham, another teacher. Baham decided to get involved with this type of work when she was 10 years old and has really seen the rewards of her decision.

The decision that Steps teachers have made to help others is a noble one. The teachers are helping disabled young adults learn how to do things that will help them throughout their lives. It is a decision that makes the teachers happy as well.

Cameron Halversen describes his experience with the program as “phenomenal.”

Steps students have been experiencing success in the program for many years and in turn are doing some of their own teaching. They are helping the teachers learn as well. It is a situation that is positive in both ways.

Ethan Baham, Davis County Search and Rescue

Being a member of the Davis County Search and Rescue team involves many rigorous and physically trying activities, including finding people who have gotten lost in the mountains, fallen from a high cliff, and saving people who have gotten into a difficult situation.

The Davis Search and Rescue is an all-volunteer group that is always looking for new members. Ethan Baham is one of the newest volunteers who has been accepted by the team of about 35 members.

Baham started the process of applying for the team by filling out an interest form. He then met with the Davis Search and Rescue board, who voted him in as a member. He then filled out a 15-page application and a background check was done. Everything checked out okay, so he was accepted as a member of the team.

Baham is 23 years old and lives in Kaysville. He is a student at Weber State University and currently works for a local doctor’s office. He was recently married. His wife is very supportive in his efforts on the search and rescue team. Baham has his hands full with many responsibilities.

A training process that takes about three months follows your acceptance by the DCSAR board. Baham has completed his training and has been a member for about nine months. When his year mark comes up, Baham will be officially voted on by the board. “It is a learn-as-you-go process,” Baham said. On-the-job training is how the members of the team learn what to do. The more calls Baham gets sent out on, the more experience he gains.

Team members carry a pager and are beeped every time there is a call. If members are available they are expected to respond to the call. They are expected to respond to as many calls as possible.

“The team expects 75 percent attendance,” Baham said.

Members then go to the site of the rescue and do all they can to save the person.

Many skills are required to be a member of DCSAR. Every member must be in good shape and able to carry a heavy pack while hiking or running. Repelling and medical skills are helpful but not necessary. Each member must be willing to give his time, money and effort to the team at all times.

Baham has learned many things from being a member of DCSAR. “Search and rescue can be demanding, but is also very rewarding,” Baham said.

He describes it as a great experience to be able to help people and also get training.

“I love it,” Baham said.

Baham has discovered much about his own life and the tragic things that happen in the world. It is an important job and takes generous members to volunteer their time to help others.