Citing her mother as her greatest role model and hero, Carolin Valet said, “My mother has always been there as my support and always pushed me to become the best version of myself. She is the reason I am fluent in Spanish. She would tell me to speak Spanish at home and leave the English speaking for school, friends and homework. Because of her determination and encouragement, I am able to speak, read and write Spanish. For everything she has done, I am eternally grateful.”
Carolin Valet began her career with DDI as a Teaching Assistant in the Children’s Day Program at the onset of the pandemic. During this time of heightened stress, Carolin quickly recognized a need for greater interpretation support for Spanish-speaking families and children attending school here. Being fluent in Spanish, Carolin began translating and interpreting for the program.
She later advocated for a position dedicated to helping bilingual families better communicate and participate more effectively in their children’s education. Her talent and dedication led to the creation of her current position as a Bilingual Behavior Support Assistant.
In this new role, Carolin supports the classroom, addresses challenging behaviors and translates for students and families. “As a person of Hispanic heritage at DDI, I enjoy utilizing my knowledge and expertise as a fluent Spanish speaker. I am the go-to person for interpreting conversations between students’ care teams and families at educational team meetings. My native language has been very helpful in bridging the language gap that some families face,” said Carolin.
Given her unique skillset, Carolin would like to help facilitate an enhanced system for translating and interpreting for students and families for whom English is not their first language. She would like to see DDI continue to recruit diverse staff and create positions specific to Hispanic and Latinx community members who can use their bilingual skills to overcome any communication barriers that may exist. She feels this would bolster the relationship between non-English speaking families and DDI team members. “The better the communication, the better the relationship becomes, and the more we can help our students,” said Carolin.
DDI is grateful for Carolin Valet, her passion for her work, and the advocacy she demonstrates for her students and their families.