This Arizona teenager has started Kidstalk, to teach and mentor students who are struggling learning English. She knows how hard it is, since her parents were immigrants from China. DP
by Jennifer Vogel
azcentral.com: Every parent thinks their child is number one, but one Tempe teen has been named one of the top 25 juniors in the country by Bentley College.
Grace Do just got back from Boston where she enjoyed teen-things like ice cream, socializing, and making new friends. One big difference -- the honor included being featured in Time magazine. Each teen had to be nominated, and each person that was chosen had some effort in making their community a better place. Grace's contribution is language.
"I understand their culture and what they're going through. I've seen my immigrant friends and seen them struggle with English." Grace is a junior at Corona Del Sol high school in Tempe. She's an Arizona native, but her parents were immigrants from China. At home, they speak English and Mandarin, which helped teach Grace a lesson early on. Her father, Ming-Hao Do taught her that to be successful, you need to have language.
With her parents' support, Grace created Kidstalk. "We tutor students of all nationalities. We read with them and depending on their needs, teach them grammar, teach them with whatever they need." Grace and a couple of her friends go to the library on Saturday and spend time with kids helping them with not only the English language, but the culture. She feels schools don't have the time or resources to help the kids who speak Mandarin, Korean, or other foreign languages, so her and her friends are helping teach the youth one word at a time. And it was those contributions that landed her the top 25 honor.
In the future, Grace wants to continue helping her community and work in the field of biomedical research. "I think it's very important to give back and contribute to the search for vaccines and cures."
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