Costa Mesa High grad went from learning English to AP English in few short years

When Jennifer Henriquez Ayala came with her family from El Salvador to California in 2014, the summer before her seventh-grade year, the only English she knew was “Hi, my name is Jennifer� and “I don’t speak English.�

She enrolled in English language development (ELD) courses at Costa Mesa Middle School, where she and her classmates found the challenge of learning a new tongue on top of a full schedule of classes a bit daunting.

“The first week of school we were all crying in the bathroom,� Henriquez recalled. “It was really hard not being able to express how you felt or to have a conversation with an adult.�

What a difference a few years makes. By the time the multitalented teen started her senior year last fall, she’d gone from taking ELD classes to enrolling in AP English.

Henriquez is one of 278 seniors graduating with Costa Mesa High School’s class of 2020, having earned top grades despite a heavy course load that included AP psychology, physics, advanced sports medicine and economics.

Costa Mesa High School senior Jennifer Henriquez Ayala shares medals she was awarded, an English Learning Development medal in 2017, a Physical Education medal in 2018, a World Languages medal in 2019 and the Seal of Excellence in 2020.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer )

“I’m finishing the year with [all] A’s — I’ve made that a priority — so I’m working on the Bs,� she said of her grades.

When the 18-year-old looks back on her time in the States so far, she’s astounded by how much she and her family have been through.

“It’s pretty crazy,� she said. “Most of the time, I don’t think about everything I’ve done. But when I think about it, we’ve come a long, long way.�

At Costa Mesa High, where more than 60% of students speak Spanish as their primary language, a robust ELD program works to integrate learners into mainstream classes. Still, Henriquez’s individual progress has not gone unnoticed.

Costa Mesa High Principal Jake Haley recalled the teen’s swift transformation from shy freshman to confident and self-possessed senior who, before the coronavirus pandemic, could be seen on the sidelines of athletic games assisting players as an advanced sports medicine student.

“She is an absolute light on this campus,� the principal said. “She is so delightful, so joyful and so full of life and hope. This is who you want to represent this school.�

Costa Mesa High School senior Jennifer Henriquez Ayala came to the U.S. as a seventh-grader knowing hardly any English and is now graduating with top grades in all her classes.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

It wasn’t until Haley spoke with Henriquez at the school’s homecoming celebration that he learned the extent of her early struggles with learning English.

“Sometimes we have no idea what students are dealing with because we only see them in these little moments,� Haley said of the teen’s accomplishment. “That more than anything makes you take a step back and say wow and be proud of her and her journey.�

With coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders still in place, Costa Mesa High School will broadcast a virtual commencement ceremony for graduating seniors on June 16 at 6 p.m.

Henriquez plans to watch the broadcast at home, surrounded by her parents and siblings. In the fall, she will attend Orange Coast College, where she’ll explore coursework that could set her on the pathway to a career in the medical field.

“I’ve always wanted to help people in some way,� she said of her career ambitions. “It sounds cliché, but it’s true.�

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