To educate students in the English as a Second Language (ESOL) program about college application and admission processes, BVNW hosted the Blue Valley ESOL College Night yesterday.  The event was coordinated by ESOL teacher Mary Head, activities director Keith Jones and principal Amy Murphy. Head said the college fair evolved from the need to have more contact with ESOL parents.

“We wanted something more than just social, we wanted to provide a service for them,” Head said.

This was the first time in Blue Valley history that a separate college fair for ESOL students was organized.  Head said she needed ESOL parents to help their children through the admission process.  Many ESOL students are not U.S. citizens, Head said, and that can complicate the admissions requirements, with essays, etc.  Additionally, an English proficiency test on the application can make college acceptance difficult.  The ESOL college night was designed to assist some of these needs, Head said.

“It’s really good to see her initiate something that has affected the district,” Jones said. “It was exciting to see that we could do this.”

There were six colleges present at the ESOL college night.  Representatives from UMKC, KU, Pittsburgh State University, Donnelly College and JCCC attended the event to educate ESOL students about the collegiate process.  Some of the representatives were former ESOL students themselves.

“I came here as a foreign student myself; my parents didn’t know what direction to go to,” Admissions officer from the International Student Affairs Department at UMKC, Nigyar Dzhafarova said.  “This is a great opportunity for them to get information and get a direction to further their education.”

Head said about 100 students and parents attended the college fair. The event consisted of four sessions, which rotated through color-coded groups.  The sessions focused on general college information, financial aid, discussions with college representatives and a student panel.  Three former ESOL students composed the student panel to assist parents and students in their experience with the college applications and admissions.  There were also three interpreters, speaking Chinese, Korean and Spanish, to help ESOL parents.

“I think it helped us have an idea of what college [is] and how to get scholarships, stuff like that,” senior Yi Wang said.

It is imperative that ESOL students have a realistic view of college, Head said.  With the college fair, Head said she hopes parents become more involved and informed about college information and ESOL students become more empowered to pursue secondary education.

“I feel like this has come together pretty easily,” Head said. “The colleges were very responsive.  We got such an overwhelming response from the parents.  It has been great.”