About
The Aprendiendo Juntos project
The Aprendiendo Juntos project engages English learning students and their families. Led by William & Mary professors, Professor Jennifer Bickham Mendez of the Village & Professor Katherine Barko-Alva, Aprendiendo Juntos recruited 50 students from William & Mary to tutor English learning students at Jamestown and Lafayette high schools. The program also partners with Grove Christian Outreach Center to provide networking, healthcare literacy, and legal support to English learner students’ families. This initiative emphasizes the unique skills and resilience of English learner students and their families, and the partners aim to amplify the voices of this growing community in Greater Williamsburg.
Family Resource Group Meetings
Professors Barko-Alva and Bickham Mendez, along with undergraduate student volunteers, facilitate monthly family resource group meetings for Spanish-speaking community members. The meetings provide space for parents and families to give voice to their concerns and needs and build community together, while connecting with community and school resources. The meetings operate to disseminate institutional knowledges that facilitates access to resources and opportunities for Latine, immigrant families.
Parents identify topics of interest:
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Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
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Mental Health and Selfcare for Parents
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Literacy practices
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English language workshops
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Homework practices
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Best practices to communicate with schools and teachers
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Navigating the immigration system
Tutoring
The objectives of the tutoring program are to provide tangible classroom support and mentoring to ML students, build relationships and connection between ML students and W&M undergraduate students, and to facilitate community engagement and professional development for W&M undergraduate students.
In Spring 2026, 76 tutors volunteered approximately 530 hours in WJCC schools. Since Fall 2023, nearly 219 W&M tutors volunteered a total of 1900 hours.
When asked what they enjoyed most about tutoring, tutors answered:
“Being able to see the students be proud of themselves for either understanding or finishing their work.”
“Getting to connect with the students and see moments where they were excited to talk about something they're passionate about!”
“I truly enjoyed the community that was fostered with my tutoring group, and the opportunity to help the students better understand and learn.”