By: Lia Bradley
ELL Specialist at Dickinson High School
Suhey Gutierrez was born in Hollywood, California, and moved to Idaho at the age of 5, where she lived for a year. She then moved to Dickinson in first grade.
Suhey is currently a paraprofessional at Jefferson Elementary, where she assists English Language (EL) students through a work-based learning program. Additionally, she works as a nursing assistant at St. Ben's, which allows her to utilize both her English and Spanish language skills. Suhey plans to pursue a career in both education and nursing.
Suhey's passion for helping people, particularly English Learner (EL) students, began with her own EL teacher in elementary school. She is grateful for the support she received from her teacher, especially since she grew up in a bilingual household where her dad spoke English and her mom spoke Spanish. Suhey stated, “ Having two languages can be a struggle because sometimes you might know the word in one language but not in the other. I am also a first generation Hispanic that is going to college." She is interested in pursuing careers in education and nursing to help others, just as she has been helped in her own journey.
Suhey shared that her journey into work-based learning began when she took all three education classes with Mrs. Tangen. She is currently enrolled in an Introduction to Teaching course at Dickinson State University. “ I discovered my passion for teaching and helping students by being in Mrs. Tangen’s classes and going out into different schools,” she explained. "I love seeing smiles on kids’ faces when they accomplish something."
“Mrs. Bradley also made me aware of how useful having a second language can be in the field of education. She has made me realize the great asset I have of being bilingual. I believe that because my parents have given me a second language, I am set apart. This is why I believe I shouldn’t put that special gift aside, but I should put it to use.”
“My parents have always said to me, 'todo se puede'—everything is possible. That is what pushes me. My mom always says to me, 'yo no lo pude tener' meaning 'I couldn’t have it', asi que: 'levanta la cabeza y sigue adelante' which translates to 'lift up your head and keep straightforward'.”
I am excited to see students like Suhey entering the fields of education and nursing while utilizing their native languages. Mrs. Tangen also stated, “ I’m proud to see Suhey using her many talents of confidence, energy, and caring for the youth. Also having a second language is a huge bonus to our school system. I welcome all high school students with diverse gifts to explore the teaching career.”
Work-based learning is an excellent opportunity for students to be exposed to various fields. Mariana Magana, a student at DHS, is planning to pursue a college degree in Spanish Education. There are also other bilingual students preparing to apply for work-based learning, and I hope this initiative continues to grow in the coming years as our community becomes more diverse and the demand for bilingual candidates increases.