School aide draws on childhood language experience

Olivia Ryan– Mustangs Ahead

(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL)- “I wanted to work with students in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) department because growing up I was also an ESOL student. I understand what it is like coming to a new country and learning the language,” said teacher assistant Avelina Besse.

Besse is a new teaching assistant at Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS) who works out of Dawn Haushalter’s ESOL classroom.

Besse was born in Matamoros, Mexico and had to learn English by herself at a young age.

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Her family moved to Florida and would migrate between Florida, South Carolina, and Virgina with the harvest seasons.

Besse now has three kids, a LRHS graduate who attends the University of Florida (UF), a junior at LRHS and a second grader at McNeal Elementary.

Besse’s favorite part of her job is being able to see Mustangs help and encourage one another to learn English.

“They welcome new students and seeing them progress is wonderful. I also love to learn more about the students’ cultures and home countries,” said Besse.