Even though she was born and raised in Virginia, Mrs. Leslie Lincoln did not learn English until she started kindergarten. Both parents are from El Salvador, so Spanish was the language spoken at home.

Two teachers inspired Mrs. Lincoln to become an educator.

“My ESL teacher Ms. Carson helped me tremendously with learning English, and I felt safe in her classroom,” Mrs. Lincoln said. “My high school Spanish teacher Mrs. Binns encouraged me to continue with Spanish in college.”

After graduating high school in Alexandria, Virginia, Mrs. Lincoln fulfilled her goal by earning a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Arkansas Tech University. She then taught Spanish for three years at Crossett, Arkansas.

For Mrs. Lincoln, the best part of being here is her students.

“They make teaching Spanish fun because of their interest over the content,” Mrs. Lincoln said.

She may not know how to swim, but Mrs. Lincoln does hope to discover more about her students.

“I want to learn about their cultural backgrounds and future goals and aspirations to help me better serve them,” Mrs. Lincoln said.

The biggest challenge Mrs. Lincoln faces as a Spanish teacher is having students understand the benefits of learning a language on top of the culture associated with the language.

“Learning another language is beneficial in their future career,” Mrs. Lincoln said.

Outside of school, Mrs. Lincoln enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters.

“We like to spend time with relatives and play outside,” Mrs. Lincoln said.