Lorenzo Moreno
MARCH 2009 WINNER

KUSA - No, Lorenzo Moreno isn't actually fluent in Dinka, Anuak, Lao or Somali. But many of his students are.

Ellis Elementary School is home to students representing 18 different countries. Aside from English and Spanish, students at Ellis speak 20 different languages at home. Those are primary languages, not tongues the students or their families have picked up through lessons.

"For me, I learn just as much from the students as they learn from me," said Moreno, a fifth grade teacher at Ellis Elementary School in South Denver.

Moreno is the March 2009 winner of the 9Teachers Who Care Award.

The language diversity creates an incredible opportunity as well as a difficult challenge for any teacher at Ellis Elementary.

Moreno's fifth grade writing and science class is broken up into three different groups, accounting for students' different abilities and proficiency in writing and speaking English.

"Our school is very fortunate," Moreno said. "We have students from all around the world, with many different languages spoken here. It's my goal to show the students, no matter what our background is, or our beliefs, we are here at school and our job is to learn."

Moreno teaches his classes entirely in English, but the different groups allow him to change his lessons, ever so slightly, to make sure his fifth graders never feel overwhelmed

"We work together and we help each other and care about each other," Moreno said. "We try to provide a comfortable environment for students where they can come in, know the routine, and learn as much as they can."

A big part of making sure the students feel comfortable is to give them more opportunities to learn English and become more comfortable and confident in their proficiency with the language. Moreno co-chairs a chapter of the Junior Optimist Club at Ellis.

One program within the Junior Optimists Club encourages Ellis students to help their peers learn to read and become more confident with English.

"For me, it's rewarding because I get to step back and see them in another area where they can excel," Moreno said. "Maybe they aren't necessarily the strongest writer or the best reader in the classroom, but with this club, they can help organize or advertise outside projects.

"It's pretty amazing what they can do," Moreno said. "For me, I feel there's really not limit to what they can do."

Please join us in congratulating Lorenzo Moreno, the March 2009 winner of the 9Teachers Who Care award.