Bilingual education helps integrate growing Hispanic population

Nyko Perez was running out of Cheerios. Sitting at a low, lima–bean–shaped table, the round–faced 3–year–old was gluing the cereal bits to a big “C” made of orange construction paper. “Quieres más? Do you need more?” instructor Camen Bisso asked him in Spanish and English. “OK, what do you say? Como se dice ‘por favor?’ ” “Please!” Nyko responded. At the new First Steps Primeros Pasos early learning center in Georgetown, Delaware, lessons are repeated in English and Spanish, and two of the three instructors are native Spanish speakers. “We deal with integration here,” said Executive Director Lynne Maloy. “We’re teaching our Spanish speakers English and our English speakers get to learn Spanish. We want everyone to have an equal chance to succeed, because education is the name of the game.” Read about the First Steps program at delawareonline.com.