Solar Prep student wins bilingual essay contest, trip to New Mexico

Lizbeth Alonso, a student at the Solar Preparatory School for Girls, has many reasons she is thankful to be bilingual and biliterate.

For one, knowing two languages is a “mini-superpower” that lets her communicate across cultures. And two, her first-place essay on why she is proud to be bilingual has earned her an all-expense-paid trip to the 2018 National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) conference in New Mexico.

While Alonso is honored to attend the conference and be named the 2018 NABE Billingual Education Elementary School Student of the Year, she is most excited for the trip itself.

“I’ve never been on an airplane and my grandma says it’s amazing and you can see the whole world up there,” she said.

Sandra Urton, a 2016-2017 Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year who is also Alonso’s teacher, said it’s an honor to help her student succeed.

“When I became the Teacher of the Year, I was often asked, ‘Why are you teacher?’ This is why! To see our scholars shine and become the leaders of tomorrow,” Urton said. “Teaching is about inspiring others to discover their purpose and potential. Lizbeth is setting an example for all the students here at Solar Prep.”