Anticipated Day Brings Unexpected Outcome

By Kathy Park

Notebook? Check. Pencil case? Check. Lunch money? Check. Everything was the way I had left it the night before. It was only 7 a.m. and the first time I was up before my parents.

My Mom and I at my kindergarten orientation in 1991. Photo courtesy of Stonegate Elementary

At age 6, the biggest day of my life had arrived. It was my very first day of school, and everything had to go as planned.

With a swarm of other students, I bustled through the double doors remembering to keep my eyes on a woman who gestured to have us follow her. Anxiety took over as I realized how unfamiliar my surroundings were, but thankfully the woman took me to the right classroom. It wasn’t long before I found a desk with my name plate taped to it. All the worries I had about my first day seemed to disappear when I reached my destination; however, this all changed in a matter of minutes.

It couldn’t have been more than half an hour into the school day when I found myself trailing behind a teacher who led a group of us down several hallways and into a remote classroom. We stopped in front of the door where four cut-out letters loomed before us—E.S.O.L. This was the acronym for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

I never fully understood what the letters meant at the time, but I clearly felt different from the rest of the students. My heart sank because I had no desire to be isolated from my class. I never imagined my language barrier would prevent my first day from going as planned.

My parents emigrated from Seoul, South Korea, and they came to the United States knowing very little English. By the time I was born, their English was still not proficient, so I adopted Korean as my first language.

Communication became extremely difficult with neighborhood kids who only spoke English, so I was determined to learn their language. Since I couldn’t turn to my parents, “Sesame Street” and the local news became my unofficial tutors.

My vocabulary was quite limited by the time I entered kindergarten, so it was no surprise I was identified as an E.S.O.L. candidate on the first day of school. The event was disappointing at the time, but it made a lasting impression.

I became extremely ambitious at a young age because I wanted to graduate from the program so I could learn with the mainstream students. I overcame a lot of insecurities just by learning English, because I knew I had the ability to accomplish anything. I no longer considered myself to be the shy girl because I achieved a new found confidence and was finally speaking up.

Mastering English gave me the assurance to pursue several interests. By the fourth grade, I had nurtured an interest in writing and public speaking. This combination of skills led to an active involvement with the Student Government Association, which helped me become a better communicator.

It wasn’t until sophomore year of high school when I finally took a closer look at journalism. My high school newspaper drew me into an industry that I knew I had to be a part of. I wanted to give a voice to those who were powerless because at one point in my life, I knew what it felt like to be unheard.

In college I remained true to my passion but decided to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. The visual medium became more appealing and I was able to apply my skills as a public speaker once again. Ironically the language that worked against me at one point ended up becoming my greatest ally.

My first day of school may not have been what I expected, but in retrospect, everything did go as planned in the end.