THE MISSING NARRATIVE
An Interview with Samuel Haile
"I've recognized that mistakes are a chance to learn and that they teach me valuable lessons that will help me achieve something in life."
At Soy La Esperanza, LLC we are invested in telling the stories of students who were once multilingual learners and now taking the world by storm. These are students who our founder has either taught directly or that he helped guide as a school leader.
These are the stories that we do not hear about often, but that more of our multilingual learners currently in the school system should be listening to. They are also stories that school personnel can use to develop a deeper understanding of their multilingual learners. These are stories of empowerment, stories of deep struggle and development, stories that will inspire you, and without a doubt transform the narrative you may have had in your head about multilingual learners. Join us in exploring and navigating the complexities of being a multilingual learner in the American education system.
As part of this interview series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Samuel Haile.
Sam is currently a senior at Goucher College and he is finishing up his bachelor's degree program this academic year. Sam was part of the inaugural class at International High School at Langley Park and was one of the first students to be accepted to college in that first cohort. He is currently studying abroad in Linz, Austria, through Goucher. Over the summer, he had the opportunity to serve as an intern at Amazon in New York, which inspired him to study more about supply chain. He is currently soaking up all of the knowledge he can around supply chain to further his knowledge of the profession. Sam was offered a job in Amazon's operations team upon graduating from college.
Sam at IHSLP Graduation
Sam at his Amazon internship
Sam at his study abroad program in Austria
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before diving in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us some of your cultural heritage and upbringing?
My parents are from Ethiopia and I was born in Eritrea. I’m what you would consider in the United States black or African American. Growing up my mother spoke Tigrinya, Amharic, and Oromo, whereas my father and his family spoke English, Amharic, and Oromo. My father did not speak Tigrinya because he grew up and lived in the United States. As a child, I had to learn Amharic and Oromo to communicate with my father, friends, and relatives. I grew up in Eritrea and spent six months in Ethiopia before moving to the United States. Then, in 2014, we moved to the United States and joined my father.
What is one memorable moment that you have with Dr. Beato? Why was it memorable for you?
Dr. Beato was the first person to interview me when I decided I wanted to attend International High School at Langley Park. It is one of the fondest memories I have with Dr. Beato since it was my very first time being interviewed. Now that I've taken part in several interviews and as I reflect on them, I can say with certainty that I've made improvements to the way I present myself.
What 3 words best describe you in this moment?
Risk-taker, active listener, and enthusiastic learner
What do you wish you knew back then that you know now?
I was always terrified of making errors back then. I've recognized that mistakes are a chance to learn and that they teach me valuable lessons that will help me achieve something in life.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a multilingual learner currently in K-12?
My advise to any multilingual learner who is now enrolled in elementary through high school is that life is all about taking chances and risks. There is always the worry that something might not be worthwhile, but unless you attempt the things you don't want to do, you will never know. You might acquire new talent that you never even knew you had by approaching life in this way. For example, although some may attempt to convince you that attending college is a waste of time, I assure you that it is a completely different experience that will help you develop and make lasting connections, amongst other things.
Who are your heroes or role models? And why?
Lebron James is my hero. He is known for being a basketball player, but he is also a businessman and a father. He has done so much for his community and has fantastic work ethic, making him my idol. He is more than simply a basketball star; he speaks up for his people; he played a significant part in the recent election.
