Senior Success Story: Mendota student didn't speak English as a freshman, but that didn't stop her

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MENDOTA, Calif. (KFSN) -- When you look done the pictures of Jisselle Herndanez's 4 years of precocious school, there's a batch to see.

That includes her clip successful the taste club, Future Farmers of America, and assorted assemblage events.

As graduation approaches, she's reflecting connected however her clip began astatine Mendota High School.

She and her household had conscionable moved from El Salvador up of her freshman year.

She had to accommodate to a caller country, a caller metropolis and a caller schoolhouse - each without speaking English.

"I was truly frightened astir coming to an American schoolhouse due to the fact that of the connection barrier, the expectations, the culture, the environment. Everything was truthful different," Jisselle said.

She was placed into classes for students learning English arsenic a 2nd language, but worked hard to prime it up.

She got creative, utilizing antithetic tactics alternatively of conscionable a translation service.

By her sophomore year, she passed the English proficiency trial and moved into modular English classes.

In her inferior year, she joined AP English courses.

And now, arsenic a senior, she's successful 4 AP courses and 1 honors class.

Fredy Gomez is the Newcomer Counselor.

He helps each students who are caller to the country oregon school. He says Jiselle's progression has been incredible.

"Jiselle's transcript is 1 of those transcripts where, erstwhile you look astatine it, you spot the resiliency, the perseverance, the quality to accommodate to her surroundings and the challenges that she's faced," Gomez said.

In summation to excelling astatine school, she helps attraction for her younger siblings.

Her dada works, and her ma struggles to bash regular tasks due to the fact that of arthritis.

As she ends this section and begins a caller 1 by heading disconnected to college, Jisselle says she has a newfound assurance acknowledgment to what she's overcome.

"I person done a large portion of it, which is the connection barrier, and I cognize if I were susceptible of adapting successful specified a abbreviated magnitude of time, I'll beryllium capable to conscionable win and execute my dreams successful the aboriginal too," Jisselle said.

Jisselle volition beryllium attending UC Irvine successful the fall, and each of her hard enactment paid disconnected due to the fact that she earned a full-ride scholarship.

Click here for each the stories and videos successful our series, "Senior Success."

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