McKindsay Dow spent summer helping students learn English

(Editor's Note: McKindsay Dow is Luella Dow's granddaughter)

McKindsay Dow, Wayne Dow's daughter, spent around 50 hours this summer as a volunteer with three other students from Gonzaga Prep Higth School. They worked with people studying English as a second language.

"There were three levels of English classes," McKindsay said. "The level two class was reserved for those students who had just arrived in the United States, or those who spoke very little English. This class was sometimes very difficult to work with."

McKindsay mentions that it is interesting to talk with the students who had come from many different countries and cultures around the world.

Levels three and four were more conversational. She said the students often broke into groups of two or three with one volunteer helping one or two students. The volunteers were given prompt sheets.

"We basically spent our two hours a day having conversations with the students," McKindsay said.

Their moderator was Kathy Laise. All students and volunteers worked in the ESL (English as a Second Language) building on Monroe Street.

"Classes began July 1," McKindsay said. "The volunteers' work ended Aug. 7. The students must take a test at the end of each class, very similar to finals, which allow them to go on to the next level of English. There are six levels in all. Those who pass level six are basically fluent in English. They then are allowed to attend other college classes here in the U S. to further their education, a reason the majority of them came here in the first place."

"I worked with some very intelligent people. One, whose home country is Saudi Arabia, had a degree in nano-technology. Another is an engineer in Taiwan. He helped develop the touch screen technology that is so widely used in electronics today," McKindsay said. "Others I worked with had dreams of being many things - from hairstylist, to florist, to kindergarten teacher. Many of them, rather than have a career in America, wanted to return to their home countries to complete these dreams."

"In the level four class," McKindsay said, "Most of our time was spent reading prompts of questions to the students. In the level three class there was a lot of reading material we helped the students work through. Those in the level two class often were preoccupied with using games to learn certain basic terms, i.e.: names of family members, relationships or describing the weather."

On their last day of classes the volunteers joined with the students in level two and four with conversations and enjoying party treats. They played more games in level two and studied currency and giving change. All emphasis was still directed toward English.

McKindsay and two others in her group were there as a school program, a summer community service course. They had to write papers about their experience for every five hours of service. McKindsay finished her last day of community service as a class Aug. 18. This included writing the final papers.

There was another adventure on McKindsay's horizon.

She volunteered at the Women and Children's Free Restaurant and Community Kitchen, also located on Monroe Street. She worked among about 15 other volunteers there every day.

"I didn't know anyone," McKindsay said. "But they were all friendly. I learned to serve as a dishwasher, prep cook and server for the people coming in. I think this is a great facility for needy families in Spokane. They can come in out of weather conditions and have a nice home cooked meal. This (establishment) also offers locally grown produce for these families to take home with them."

McKindsay will be a senior at Prep this fall. Do you suppose she is pondering another idea? We can be sure she is not just watching the world go by.

Luella Dow is a Cheney-area author. She can be reached at [email protected].