We are thrilled to announce that Laysa Nocelotl will be taking on an essential role in our organization as the LM Grace-Program Coordinator!
We'd love to share a bit about Laysa and what she has meant to our company and community!
Laysa is from Warsaw and loves her hometown. She attended Warsaw Community High School, where she was a part of FCCLA (a national organization through which students serve the community in various capacities).
In 2019, Laysa and her team placed first in a state-wide competition, and later placed third at nationals, within the “Focus on Children" category. Their cultural-education project involved encouraging children to be more open and empathetic about different cultures and beliefs. Laysa says, "That's where I first started to teach, and I liked doing it!"
In Fall of 2019 after interning at a local organization called Head Start, Laysa began her studies at Grace College, where we had the fortune to meet her!
When we asked Laysa why she chose Grace College, her answer was, of course, community-focused.
"I have grown up around Grace; I went to Jefferson Elementary and have gotten to know many people from Grace. I like the atmosphere. . . and they have many [academic] opportunities." Laysa said.
With Laysa's language skills and experience, we quickly recognized the impact she could have on the Language Matters team. Co-founder and CEO Lucas Fonseca said, "Laysa was an obvious hire for us; she is a great asset to our team, and I'm so thankful to be working with talented, community-minded individuals like her."
Since her debut as a language tutor for Language Matters, Laysa has blessed other local organizations like Heartline Pregnancy Center as a language specialist, and has worked with community members as an English and Spanish instructor. She has also served as the LM Blog lead.
Laysa will be a senior in college this Fall, and will graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Health Science and minors in Spanish and Business Administration. We fully expect that her work will have lasting impact in our area, and we are excited to be a part of her journey!