HAINES CITY, Fla. — Sandhill Elementary School in Haines City is helping students become bilingual through its Dual Language Immersion Program. It is the only school in Polk County that offers the program.

The majority of students speak only English. In response, this program immerses students in English and Spanish from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Maritza Vazquez teaches the second grade class enrolled in the program.

“I have many students who are from only English-speaking backgrounds. They actually learn to speak Spanish. They tend to be very fluent in both,” she said.

Vazquez’s students have all been in the program since they were in kindergarten, and in just two short years, they have made a lot of progress.

Vazquez teaches the class in both English and Spanish. Her class is still like others in that students are still responsible for meeting all the state education standards. Learning to speak a new language is a bonus.

“It opens up their curiosity towards trying to learn other languages and we have had students try to go online and find French, or Mandarin Chinese, because they understand that the more they learn about different languages, the more they can communicate with others,” said Vazquez.

Vazquez learned Spanish similarly as a child. She was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents.

“My mother was very strict with us and when we got home, we could only speak Spanish with her,” she said. “She would sit us down and actually have us write different notes and read them to her in Spanish.”

She says teaching students a new language at a younger age is easier than trying to learn as an adult. Through the dual program, the students will all stay together through fifth grade.

Vazquez also emphasizes that while the class can be challenging, it is well worth it.

“We want to actually see them do that productive struggle to learn that second language and they flourish — they grow,” said Vazquez.

There is currently a wait list for the Dual Language Immersion Program at Sandhill Elementary.