HWS News
15 January 2026 • Service Celebrating Bilingualism in Geneva
HWS students strengthen language access and community connection.
With funding from the Wyckoff Family Foundation and Rochester Area Community Foundation Latino Giving Circle, five Hobart and William Smith students working with Geneva 2030 are supporting bilingual communication and inclusive engagement across the Geneva community.
Bilingual students Allison Leon ’29, Briana Lucero ’27, Karen Padilla ’27, Emily Echavarria ’25 and Isabelle Girolamo ’25, MAT ’26 are using their language skills to build bridges between families, schools and community organizations in a range of roles.
To understand the importance of this work, it helps to look at the local context. According to New York State Education Department data, 24% of Geneva City School District students are classified as English Language Learners. However, many youth-serving organizations still lack visible bilingual services, signage and staffing, creating barriers to participation and belonging for families who speak Spanish.
In response to this gap, a recent grant from the Wyckoff Family Foundation and Rochester Area Community Foundation Latino Giving Circle has enabled Geneva 2030 expand its Language Access Initiative.
Leon and Lucero currently serve as bilingual translators, preparing materials such as flyers, announcements and family communications so that Spanish-speaking families receive information clearly and equitably. They are also researching interpretation equipment that Geneva 2030 plans to make available to community organizations beginning in July.
Padilla serves as a bilingual host for the Geneva City School District’s CARES Nights, greeting families in both English and Spanish and helping ensure comfort, clarity and meaningful participation throughout events.
As site coordinator for HWS Tutor Corps’ Saturday Academy, Echavarria plays a key role in expanding access for bilingual students by enrolling families, supporting transportation logistics and maintaining consistent communication with caregivers.
Girolamo serves as Geneva 2030’s language access coordinator, leading bilingual engagement and systems work across programs. She has hosted bilingual family events such as Día de los Muertos and Festival Primavera, is recruiting and training community interpreters, and is facilitating conversations to identify barriers and advance inclusive practices.
Together, the students’ efforts build on Geneva 2030’s ENLACES initiative to strengthen out-of-school time programming by pairing bilingual tutors with bilingual learners, fostering belonging and improving literacy experiences. Their work also complements the establishment of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society at Hobart and William Smith, which further elevates Spanish language and cultural appreciation across campus and community.
Geneva 2030 is a collective impact initiative working with resources from the entire Geneva community, including nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals, to support the education of Geneva’s children from birth through high school and beyond. Since its founding in 2011, Hobart and William Smith has served as its anchor institution. It is funded by HWS, the Breitfeld Group, the Wyckoff Family Foundation, the Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation, the ESL Charitable Foundation, the Rochester Area Community Foundation and the Town of Geneva.
To learn more about Geneva 2030 and its commitment to Geneva youth, reach out to geneva2030@hws.edu or click here or here.
Top: Karen Padilla '27 tutors a student at the Saturday Academy.
