“Whoever is in support of diversity and spreading culture is welcome,”  Megan Cruz, vice president of the Student Association for Bilingual Education, said.

“Anyone can join the club. You don’t have to be bilingual education; you don’t even have to speak Spanish,” she added.

SABE will be having its first meeting of the semester Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in room 208 of DeGarmo Hall, and will continue to meet once month after that.

“We try to get the word out about being bilingual and what it means, and the fact that it’s different than ESL (English as a Second Language), or learning a foreign language,” Cruz said. “We also have a lot of volunteer opportunities. We need a little bit of help doing stuff for our bilingual education week in April.”

Pauline Clardy, co-adviser of the club explained how the group was a benefit to ISU.

“The purpose [of the club] is to inform the campus about linguistically and culturally diverse students and to reach out to the community,” she said.  

Clardy has been involved with SABE since 2006, along with other co-adviser Maria Zamudio, who has been involved since 2002.

“I think this club is important because it gives the students an opportunity to come together. We really are like a family in bilingual education and SABE is an extension of that family. The students help one another as students in bilingual education,” Clardy said.

The members of SABE focus their time and energy on volunteer work in the community.

“The students go out and work at schools and social service agencies. Usually they work with Hispanic families. They provide baby-sitting services when parents are meeting with teachers at schools, tutoring and teach Spanish in some schools,” Clardy said.

“They’re involved in different types of outreach programs such as collecting food. They will be doing a clothes drive very soon,” she added.

“It’s a small group, but they do big things,” Zamudio added. “I’m really impressed with the way they lead and the way they work with the community, with themselves and with other students.”

Cruz explained how the group can benefit the community in Bloomington-Normal and beyond.

“We do translations for report card days in Chicago public schools in Pilsen and Little Village. They happen twice every semester. We go in and translate the parent-teacher conferences. It’s really interesting,” she said.

SABE will also be participating in Latin Education and Advocacy Day on March 29. The California State University San Bernadino sponsors LEAD, a one-day summit of those interested in educational issues that impact  Latinos.

“We will participate in LEAD though a broadcast conference from this university,” explained Zamudio.

Zamudio also noted the study abroad program in Mexico where students from SABE live with Mexican families while they observe in local schools. The students often keep in contact with the schools and send them books and supplies.

“I have seen the students grow. They grow professionally and personally. I love to see them when they come first year, first semester, and the people they become after they really get engaged. They’re ready to lead and deal with any situation,” Zamudio added.

Some of SABE’s upcoming events include a bake sale in DeGarmo lobby on April 5 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and an obstacle course on the quad April 8.

For more information about the club contact Maria Zamudio at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .