120 When senior Wagner Valdez went looking for an internship, he wanted more than just work experience. Valdez aimed to fulfill a greater purpose and help locals in Searcy. “I decided I wanted to be an intern at El Puente because I really loved helping my community,” Valdez said. Valdez taught English in his home country of Guatemala. When he was looking for a way to get involved in the local community of Searcy, he decided to start his search on social media. “I was just looking at Instagram and saw organizations like Lamp Light, and then more organizations appeared, and I saw El Puente,” Valdez said. El Puente was an organization designed to aid the Spanish-speaking community in Searcy. The organization was founded in 2019 by Jay and Ruth Simpson, the respective president and executive director of El Puente. Jay and Ruth Simpson learned Spanish in order to communicate with their friends better. In the process of learning the language, their eyes were opened to the need for translation in Searcy. “El Puente is the Spanish word for the bridge,” Ruth Simpson said. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between our Spanish speakers and the English community where they live.” In addition to language support, El Puente offered programs for children after school, as well as facilitated cultural celebrations throughout the year. Their daily operations were always different, due to the nature of their services. “Whatever the person needs that comes to us, that’s what we help with,” Ruth Simpson said. Valdez assisted the Simpsons with projects and used his expertise in communication to advertise for events hosted by the organization. In addition, he aided in translation for people who asked for help. “He’s been able to do a wide variety of things,” Ruth Simpson said. “There is not a thing I have asked him to do that he hasn’t been able to do.” Senior Nestor Alfaro moved from Nicaragua to attend college at Harding. Alfaro and other international students not only had to adjust to a different culture, but also a new chapter in their education. “It was not just a change of being in a different country — it’s college, it’s no longer high school, and this is the part a lot of students could relate with,” Alfaro said. Just like Valdez used his communication skills to foster a relationship with the English-speaking community, it was important for the English speaking community to be accommodating as well. “If you are really intentional in this, you could at least be a little patient,” Alfaro said. “And if you are trying to go the extra mile, try to learn some expressions from the language.” After his experience with El Puente, Valdez wanted to encourage students at Harding to get out of their comfort zone. “Even though churches spread the word about activities they have, I feel like most of the time we don’t think we will have the time to come, but we should at least try and see if it is something we will like,” Valdez said. Written by: Anna Yingling Intern with Intent Senior Wagner Valdez searches to make a difference with his internship. CELEBRATING HERITAGE Senior Wagner Valdez addresses the audience at a dinner hosted by El Puente. The dinner was a community celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Photo courtesy of: Madison Meyer
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