Upon entering Spanish 1-2 her freshman year, Jaden Donica (11) had no way of anticipating the impact Westview’s Spanish program would have on her. 

Yet, as she reached the AP-level in her junior year, she realized the class had transformed her. Alongside a deeper understanding and appreciation for Spanish culture and language, Donica embraced a broadened worldview.

 “I loved the material of the class, learning the language through the culture, and the way [the Spanish teachers] taught their students through immersion,” Donica said.

Donica attributes her passion in the class to her relationships with teachers  Carolyn Swaney and Andrea Ford.  

“[Swaney and Ford] easily became two of the most influential people in my life,” Donica said. “Both of them prioritize being human for their students before they are teachers; for them to make that connection with every single student they have is something I admire.”

For Donica, her passion for Spanish was solidified under the leafy-green canopy of the Amazon rainforest during the Spanish class Peru trip last year. The last night, Donica and her friends stayed up, lounging in the “hammock room” of their hotel. They grabbed the chaperones, Swaney and Ford included, and began blasting Spanish music, having a dance party. Tucked away in the rainforest, celebrating with the people she met courtesy of Westview’s Spanish department Donica was filled with gratitude for the trip, and realized how much the class meant to her. 

Last fall, Donica partnered with the Pulsera Project to sell 400 handmade friendship bracelets to fundraise for Latin American artists. She ran the booth and sold the unique bracelets, which came with a biographical card of the artisan who made it. In raising $1,116, she made a positive difference in the lives of the impoverished artists, and bridged connections between them and Westview’s community. 

Donica’s passion for Spanish was so apparent to Swaney that she nominated Donica for the Council on International Educational Exchange’s (CIEE) 2023 Language Student of the Year. 

Swaney says the Peru trip was the deciding factor.

“The way she was in Peru; it was like she ate up every minute of cultural opportunity,” Swaney said. “She would sit in the plaza and people watch, and she was willing to talk to different people and ask them questions. It’s those moments that turn you from a language learner into a language speaker.”

Donica began working on the application in September 2022, answering how the experience would revolutionize her learning and about notable moments in her Spanish journey. 

“I had read her essays, and I felt that there’s no way they’re gonna pick someone else,” Swaney said. “I didn’t know if she was going to win first place, or runner-up, and I didn’t know what the other kids were saying. I knew she would get one of the three.”

On February 3 at 9:30 a.m., Donica woke up to the email revealing her application status. She won. 

“It was the beginning of knowing that I would have the opportunity for a life-changing experience,” Donica said. “Ford and Swaney were the first people I told, of course, because they’re my biggest cheerleaders in everything I do.” 

Swaney was elated.

“To get first place was incredible,” Swaney said. “I was so happy. And she deserves it, 100%.” 

By winning, Donica received  a scholarship to travel abroad for a student-exchange program. This summer, she’ll spend a month in sunny Palma, Mallorca. She’ll spend two hours on a daily cultural activity, with anything from hiking through the mountains to taking a flamenco class. She’ll attend a campus that partners with CIEE and use leisure time to explore the meandering streets and turquoise waters surrounding the island. 

On March 17 and 18, Donica attended the 2023 California Language Teachers Association Conference to accept her award. As the only teenager in attendance, she was able to interact with a wide variety of different educators, from higher ups at Stanford, to Mandarin teachers.

Donica made a speech, thanking the associations after accepting her award, and divulging her Spanish story. She thanked Swaney for nominating her, and reminded the teachers of the power they have to revolutionize their student’s lives and shape this generation’s youth.