At Unity Point, new students walk through the doors every year with different stories, different cultures, and different levels of English. Some know just a few words. Some know none at all. But all of them find the same thing waiting for them: a welcoming team ready to help them learn, communicate, and feel at home. That team includes three women whose own backgrounds reflect the global diversity of the school: Mona Shehada, Rawea Alkhafaji, and Lilian Surth.

Lilian Surth is from Venezuela. She first came to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship to study at SIU. She completed two master’s degrees, lived here for four years, and after a period away, returned last year with an immigrant visa for talented professionals. Lilian speaks Spanish and supports Unity Point’s Hispanic families from Pre-K through eighth grade. “If any child needs me, I’m there,” she said, but her primary role is making sure Spanish-speaking families never feel alone or unsure of how to advocate for their children.

Rawea Alkhafaji also understands the challenges of adjusting to a new language and a new environment. She is from Iraq and speaks Arabic and English. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, a transitional bilingual educator license, and is working toward her ESL endorsement. Rawea and her husband,Habeeb Abbas, moved to Illinois in 2012 for his PhD in civil engineering at SIU; he now works as a professor. This is Rawea’s second year at Unity Point, where she supports students in first and second grade. In one of her classes, nearly half of the students are English learners, and she works alongside the teacher every day to translate, guide, and help children build language step by step.

Mona Shehada has a different path. She was born in Syria, raised in Dubai, and has lived in Michigan, Chicago, and now Southern Illinois. She speaks Arabic and English and brings a rich mix of professional experiences: a degree in computer information systems, a masters in Workforce Education; years of website and instructional work at SIU, a decade as a software instructor at John A. Logan College, and thirteen years supporting English learners in District 95. She now works as an English teacher at Unity Point and is in her third year with the district. Her husband, Issa Abed, works locally as an endocrinologist, and Mona often jokes that she has done “too many things” because her background covers so many fields. But every step prepared her for her current role.

Their work at Unity Point happens in two primary ways: pushing into classrooms or pulling students out for focused instruction. The decision depends entirely on a student’s level of English. If the student is new to the country or has almost no English at all, pull-out support is essential. As Mona explained, “Some students start with zero English. They need the basics first — words for communicating, understanding the teacher, and connecting with classmates.” She begins with vocabulary and simple phrases, often using Google Translate at the very beginning. But the translation support never lasts long. “By December, I didn’t need it anymore,” she said about a group of five students she taught last year. Those children arrived speaking Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Danish, and another language she couldn’t recall in the moment — all in the same classroom. None spoke English. But by winter, they were speaking comfortably, participating in class, and beginning to read English on their own.

Sometimes the team pushes into classrooms when students understand more English but still benefit from small explanations, translations, or guided practice. Other times, they work in the EL room, giving students quiet space for reading, writing, speaking, and listening development. The goal is always the same: help students access grade-level learning while they build language.

Lilian’s role stretches beyond instruction. She interprets for families during meetings, phone calls, and school events. She explains school procedures, assignments, and expectations so parents can fully support their children. “Families want to help,” she said. “They just need the information in a language they understand.” Her work builds trust, helps parents feel welcome, and ensures no family feels left out.

The team also collaborates closely with teachers. They share strategies, adjust assignments when appropriate, and explain cultural or linguistic differences that may affect a student’s learning. Classroom teachers rely on them not only for student support but also for guidance on how to understand and empower multilingual learners.

What makes this program essential is not just the instruction, but the transformation the team witnesses every year. Children who whisper their first English words in August often stand confidently in front of their class by spring. Students who once struggled to communicate begin helping classmates. Families who walk in hesitant begin attending events, volunteering, or simply smiling with relief because they feel included.