Carolina Latinx Center links to next generation
Its Enlaces student volunteers mentor fifth graders in Chapel Hill and introduce them to college life.
Once a week, Carolina students visit Chapel Hill’s Frank Porter Graham Elementary School to serve as mentors for fifth grade students. Enlaces, a volunteer organization through the Carolina Latinx Center, aims to provide direct engagement and representation to students in the surrounding Chapel Hill community.
Frank Porter Graham Elementary offers a dual-language immersion system for students to learn Spanish and English. Enlaces, which translates to “link” in English, brings in Carolina volunteers to help students enhance their Spanish speaking and reading comprehension skills. Tar Heels also provide support for the elementary students and introduce them to the idea of college, even taking the elementary students on a field trip to Carolina’s campus.
“It’s nice to connect with the kids and bring college to life for them. When I was in elementary school, I didn’t know what college or higher education was,” said Josahandy Avila, a volunteer with Enlaces. “It’s nice to make that connection with these kids at such a young age in the language they understand.”
Enlaces student volunteers serve as mentors to students at Frank Porter Graham Elementary School. (Submitted photo)
Going to the elementary school is just a portion of the group’s volunteer efforts, as they also have a general volunteer cohort that provides bilingual tours to elementary or high school students visiting Carolina’s campus. The organization is also launching a virtual tutoring program at Frank Porter Graham this year, to offer additional flexibility for students to improve their reading comprehension skills.
Along with tangible volunteer experience, Enlaces helps create a sense of community and belonging among Tar Heels. That feeling extends to the students they mentor as well.
Enlaces co-coordinator Angela Herrera-Morales believes that the center — although it has only been in its campus home for five years — will grow more as a community by showing students the resources available to them.
“The Latinx Center and Enlaces are my second home here. I think a lot of students at Carolina resonate with that,” said Avila. “The center represents opportunity and creates a sense of belonging. I appreciate being a part of the work the center is putting into the community. Making connections with the community on a deeper level with the children truly represents what the center stands for.”
