SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Gloria Rios-Gallegos, a fifth grade student at Valley Intermediate School in Pelham and an English language learner was recently awarded a national award for achieving high standards while overcoming obstacles.

Willard R. Daggett, President of the International Center for Leadership in Education and his wife, Bonnie, established the award in 2006 as a continuation of their longstanding commitment to assisting students who must overcome personal challenges to succeed. The Daggetts believe these students are role models for all students and that their successes should be celebrated.

Rios-Gallegos came to the United States from Mexico when she was six years old and currently lives with her parents and two younger siblings.

According to her teacher, Sally Dumais, &8220;Many afternoons Gloria returns home from school to help with her younger sister and brother.

Her parents never have to speak to her about her homework responsibilities, however, because she always has her work completed by the time they get home.&8221;

Rios-Gallegos started first grade not speaking any English. She said she was afraid, but determined to learn English so she would feel more comfortable and less fearful. Rios-Gallegos became friends with an English-speaking classmate and through that friendship learned the language more quickly.

Reading, however, was much harder to master.

To be a better reader of English, Rios-Gallegos read book after book to improve her skills. She noticed that the more she read, the better her spoken English became. In fourth grade, Gloria entered the Scholastic Read 180 program, reading at a second grade level.

However, by the end of her fifth grade year, one year later, she was reading above grade level.

According to her teacher, &8220;Gloria has a drive with in her that exceeds all expectations of her teachers.

She strives to do well not only for herself, but also so that she doesn&8217;t let others down.

Her hope is to attend college and become an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher.

She understands how it feels to not be able to know what is going on around you and wants to be able to help her students be unafraid as she was when she first came to this country.

Gloria can demonstrate from first hand experience that all will be okay if students work at their goals.&8221;

Rios-Gallegos&8217;s self confidence has blossomed as a result of her academic success in reading.

Gloria says, &8220;I know I don&8217;t have to hide from the world, because I&8217;m not afraid to show the world how hard I&8217;ve worked.&8221;