Leah Cook and Jessica Gentry talk about their work in Trico’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program in an unexpected way; unlike lots of educators I speak with, it’s not in terms of acronyms, test scores, or policy. It’s in stories of students arriving with no English at all—fifth graders who don’t yet know shapes or colors—and how, step by step, those same children begin reading, speaking, and writing their way into a new life of opportunity.

The program itself is young, just seven years old. Leah and Jessica stepped in six years ago, both newcomers to the role, both determined to make it work. Leah had been a third-grade teacher at Trico with an ESL endorsement. Jessica had worked with immigrant families in Carbondale and had earned her endorsement when the district offered to cover it. When the chance came to serve at Trico, close to her  children’s own classrooms, she  jumped in with both feet.

It wasn’t easy. “In those early days, it was just us,” Leah remembered. “One teacher left right before school started, and suddenly I was alone. Then Jessica called and said she was applying—and that’s how we became a team.”

A team is exactly what they’ve become. Leah works with students in grades three through eight, and Jessica with kindergarteners through high school. They both push into classrooms to support students in real-time lessons and also pull small groups for focused language practice. The four pillars—listening, reading, speaking, and writing—guide their instruction, and each January their students take the ACCESS language proficiency test to mark progress.

The need is great. This year, 107 students—more than 12 percent of the district—are in ESL. Many are the children of hardworking families employed at Gilster-Mary Lee, with roots in both Mexico and Guatemala. Increasingly, those from Guatemala speak K’iche’, a Mayan language distinct from Spanish, which makes translation especially challenging. “There’s hardly anything out there translated into K’iche’,” Jessica explained. “So we have to find creative ways, often relying on peers or family who also speak Spanish, to help bridge the gap.”

Still, the goal is always English, always connection. “People sometimes ask if we have to speak all these languages,” Jessica laughed. “But we’re not teaching in 15 different tongues—we’re teaching English. We immerse them in it, while supporting them along the way.”

What they see daily is resilience. Many students shoulder adult responsibilities at home—caring for siblings, cooking, cleaning—while also trying to keep up with schoolwork. That makes their gains in the classroom even more inspiring. “They’ll nod along, like they understand, but when you sit down one-on-one, you realize how much is still new,” Leah said. “And yet, they keep going. They find ways.”

The impact goes both ways. Longtime Trico families, some with generations rooted in the district, now see their children sitting beside classmates who bring entirely different life experiences. “That’s part of what makes Trico special,” Jessica reflected. “We’re not just farmers and hunters, though we have plenty of those. We’re also a community that learns from diversity. Our kids are growing up side by side with peers who show them the world is bigger than our zip codes.”

Leah agrees. “This is where I grew up, and it’s still home. But now, I get to see it through the eyes of kids who’ve come from across continents. It makes our community stronger.”

Their pride in Trico is plain. “It’s amazing the support people show,” Leah said. “Teachers, administrators, families—they all lean in. They understand that if these kids can’t communicate, they can’t succeed in math or science or anything else. Language is the foundation.”

And so, day after day, Leah Cook and Jessica Gentry keep laying that foundation. Sometimes it’s with colors and shapes. Sometimes it’s with essays and speeches. Always, it’s with patience, humor, and faith that every student has a voice worth hearing.

Because in a district as spread out as Trico—across seven towns and countless miles—the gift of connection through language is what binds everyone together.