Bilingualism can open doors to many new opportunities, yet many TCS students often overlook this skill. By recognizing this, NHS students have taken the initiative to teach English to students from public schools, aiming to share not only the language but also the possibilities that come with it. The program takes place on Wednesdays after school and focuses on helping students strengthen their English skills while encouraging them to see how bilingualism can expand their future opportunities.
This initiative is part of NHS’s broader mission to promote service, leadership, character, and academic excellence. While NHS has always been involved in community service, this program stands out because it places students in active teaching roles. By working directly with students from the Institución Educativa Las Palmas, NHS members are able to create a more meaningful and lasting impact both within and beyond the school community.
The program itself is not entirely new. In previous years, NHS students taught English to injured soldiers, but the initiative eventually came to a stop. This year, it was reintroduced by NHS teacher advisor Emily Butters, who recognized its value and saw an opportunity to adapt it to a new audience through the TCS Foundation. The focus shifted toward younger students, with the intention of not only teaching English but also helping them understand how this skill can shape their futures.
“There’s a great impact in showing and not telling,” said Juliana Arango, TCS senior and NHS president. “The volunteers actually understand the impact that they’re generating, that they’re changing lives, so it creates a deeper purpose and an emotional attachment.”
This sense of purpose is fundamental to the initiative. Beyond vocabulary and grammar, the program emphasizes motivation and long-term vision. In the first classes, students participated in activities such as creating vision boards, where they expressed goals ranging from becoming doctors to starting their own businesses. Through this activity, students became motivated to learn English, seeing it as a tool that can help make those ambitions possible.
Butters explained that making NHS members aware of their knowledge of English as a tool and an advantage was the first step in creating this initiative
“You guys have this super skill of being bilingual,” Butters pointed out. “And when you help others in your community access English, you show them the potential that they have.”
To achieve this, the program relies on teaching methods that move beyond traditional instruction. Rather than focusing solely on worksheets, NHS volunteers design interactive lessons that encourage students to practice consistently.
“Anything that you want to do well takes practice,” Butters said, emphasizing the importance of preparing volunteers to guide students effectively while also helping them stay motivated.
That motivation is reinforced through dynamic strategies that make learning feel easy and engaging. Music, television shows, and group activities are commonly used to create connections between the language and students’ everyday experiences.
“We used different strategies such as learning through music, through TV shows, and other types of connections to show that it’s not just sitting down and filling worksheets,” said Emma Restrepo, TCS senior, NHS board member, and volunteer teacher.
As a result, students begin to feel more comfortable engaging with the language. Many start with a very limited vocabulary, but over time, they build both confidence and understanding.
“At the beginning, they just need basic English, like ‘door,’ ‘window,’ ‘dog,’” Arango said. “Now they can have a bigger vocabulary, and when we give them worksheets, they’re able to solve them.”
A key factor in this progress is the relationship between NHS volunteers and the students. Because they are close in age, volunteers are able to create a more approachable and supportive environment. This encourages participation and helps students feel more confident practicing their English.
“They didn’t see it as a class, but genuinely as a way to learn with people their age who understand them,” Arango said. “It’s more one-to-one, very personal.”
While the program clearly benefits the students receiving the lessons, it also has a significant impact on the NHS volunteers themselves. Teaching requires patience, adaptability, and empathy, all of which contribute to personal growth.
“Although we’re not prepped in the typical methods of teaching, we know what it means and how it feels to learn,” Restrepo said. “So it’s about putting our empathy towards that.”
Through this experience, volunteers also deepen their own understanding of English and become more aware of how they communicate. Therefore, teaching becomes a process of learning in itself.
“You learn your whole life,” Butters said. “I learn from my students all the time, and students learn about themselves when they try to teach others.”
In addition, the program fosters leadership. NHS students take responsibility for planning lessons, adapting strategies, and responding to challenges, which, as Butters mentions, strengthens their confidence and sense of ownership.
“Anytime you’re doing something where you take pride in the result, it’s because you have some level of autonomy or leadership or dedication to that,” Butters stated.
Ultimately, this initiative reflects what NHS represents as a whole. It goes beyond academic achievement and highlights the organization’s commitment to meaningful service and community impact.
“It’s really important to show that NHS as a community can be very strong and very empathetic and capable of service towards others,” Restrepo said.
On a larger scale, the program highlights the importance of access to English education in Medellín. Being bilingual can create academic and professional opportunities, particularly for students who may not otherwise have access to strong language programs. By sharing this skill, NHS students are helping to reduce that gap and create new possibilities.
The NHS English initiative demonstrates how a consistent, student-led service can create meaningful change. In just one hour each week, students are not only teaching a language but also opening doors, building confidence, and shaping futures. More than a group of high-achieving students, NHS emerges as a community that uses its strengths to create real and lasting impact beyond the classroom.