From student to U.S. citizen and school employee, one LASCC graduate keeps aiming higher
In 2015, when Perla Tapia immigrated to the United States, she spoke very little English. A native of Jalisco, Mexico, Tapia arrived here with virtually nothing at the age of 19 with her husband, two-year-old son and the determination to improve her life and the life of her child. Ten years later she has an education, a fulfilling job and U.S. citizenship.
Tapia works as a bilingual liaison employee at Lompoc High School and the Lompoc Adult School and Career Center (LASCC). It’s at LASCC where she learned English, found help attaining citizenship and began her educational and career journey.
“The first year was difficult here,” Tapia says. “I left everything and moved to a new place with new people. Plus, I wasn’t able to communicate with anyone.”
“I’m always trying to improve and continue with my education,”
Perla Tapia, Bilingual Liaison Employee, Lompoc High School and Lompoc Adult School and Career Center
Her successful transition from new immigrant to productive, working citizen took hard work and consistent resolve. Tapia gives equal credit to LASCC and its staff, who supported her in furthering her goals, particularly the school’s principal, Elaine Webber.
“She’s always trying to help all the students and staff to improve their lives,”. Tapia says. “She encourages us to continue our education.”
Tapia also has high praise for the teachers at LASCC.
“All the teachers do a great job. They’re always trying to support the students,” she says.
Several years after she arrived in the U.S., Tapia started taking English as a second language classes at LASCC.
“My hometown didn’t have a lot of schools. No college or university,” she says.
The young Tapia wanted more from life.
“I’m always trying to improve and continue with my education,” she says.
As a mother, Tapia liked that LASCC’s flexible schedules suited her busy life. She was able to stretch completion of her ESL classes over a few years.
Her next step came in taking paraeducator classes in 2020, the pathway to becoming a teacher’s aide. After completing the course, however, she learned that she needed a high school diploma in the U.S. in order to attain that position.
Even before she finished earning her diploma, a determined Tapia worked toward yet another goal: becoming a U.S. citizen. She managed to complete both goals in 2021.
After, Tapia still wasn’t finished. Once she was qualified to be a teacher’s assistant, she applied for a job as a bilingual liaison at Lompoc High School, where she now works six hours a day. The other two working hours are spent as a bilingual liaison at LASCC, where she’d already been working, helping with surveys for the district and doing work in their offices. At the high school, her job entails communicating with parents who are native Spanish speakers, while her similar position at LASCC is helping ESL students with translation and communication.
Tapia plans to continue learning and advancing in her career. Her ultimate goal is to become a teacher and work with kids.
“I need to improve my English,” she says. “I hope that next year I can start with some college classes.”
“Every day is a chance to learn something new,” Tapia says.
For more information on the Lompoc Adult School and Career Center visit https://adulteducation.lusd.org/.
Written by Jill Spear
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| South Coast California | English as a Second Language |
