How does growing up in a diverse community impact the educational outcome of English learners? What kinds of learning experiences have the most impact on diverse learners? What advice would a recent high school graduate and former English learner give to students facing similar challenges? We discuss these questions and much more in our conversation with Take the Pledge scholarship winner Camila Garcia. 

Camila recently began studying English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after graduating high school in Beardstown, IL. As we discuss in the episode, Camila is an avid reader, a quality which she believes helped her achieve English proficiency. She is particularly fond of The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.  

Her story is an inspirational reminder of how all students can reach their highest aspirations when provided with the necessary support and opportunities in school.