ROGERS — After graduating from Rogers High School, Analisa Padilla knew she wanted to earn a degree in fine arts. She wanted to study graphic design. The problem was finding the money for college. After a year of working in Jones Elementary School, Padilla has a new ambition and a plan for realizing it.

"I love the little kids," she said. "Here it's all about helping the kids grow, and that's what I want to do."

Padilla is now working on an education degree at Northwest Arkansas Community College. She'll transfer to University of Arkansas to finish her education. But during the day, she's working in the office of Russell Jones Elementary School.

Padilla, who is bilingual, is part of the AmeriCorps program. A grant helps fund the program that places bilingual young people in many of the district's schools. They interpret when Hispanic parents come into the office and translate some of the notes that teachers send home.

Assistant Principal Angie Carter credits Padilla with increasing the number of parent volunteers at Jones by making the Hispanic families feel more comfortable in school.

This is Padilla's second year with AmeriCorps and at Jones. She's paid a small stipend for her work, but when her term is complete, she'll also receive additional money that she can spend on her own education. It's a two-year program, so this is also her last year in Ameri-Corps, but Padilla already has earned her certification as para-professional so she hopes to continue at Jones as a regular district employee.

She'll also continue in school and plans to go on taking evening classes until she has enough credits to be considered a senior. Seniors have to be full-time students, she explained, so they can do their internship.

"I'm happy that I found a way to continue my education and better myself and my family," she said.

Padilla, the mother of a young son, loves to spend time with her family and to dance. She and her husband sometimes go out dancing.

Scholars, Pages 8 on 09/08/2009

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