The Tippecanoe School Corporation is home to students from all over the world. To help bridge communication gaps, the TSC acquired 48 AI Translators and presented them to the Student Services multilingual learning team last week. The district purchased the equipment with part of an Indiana Department of Education grant to the district’s teacher recruitment and retention program called SEEDS. 

“When we realized we had funds remaining from our grant, we knew we wanted to use it for the greatest good,” says Kathy Nimmer, co-director of the SEEDS program. “Our new teachers and our seasoned teachers alike want to be present and impactful for the Multilingual students who attend TSC. These devices will make so many situations easier for both the students and educators. We are thrilled that SEEDS can have such a positive influence for so many.”

The translation devices are about the size of a cell phone and can translate 138 different languages. They will be used by teachers, secretaries, nurses and others to help bridge any language barriers with students and family members who don’t speak English.

“We continue to see an increase in our multilingual learners. We have more than 1,000 students with 53 languages represented,” says Melissa Tanner, multilingual learner coordinator. “Translating and interpreting devices are instrumental in opening communication and building relationships between our teachers and students and teachers and families. It demonstrates a safe space and eliminates the fear of asking for help, which is crucial for learning.”

The top five languages spoken by English learners in the TSC are Spanish, Japanese, Haitian/Creole, Korean and Mandarin.

“I am so grateful to Kathy Nimmer and the SEEDS team for recognizing the value of our multilingual learners and advocating for their needs,” adds Tanner.

The state awarded SEEDS the 2024 Excellence in Leading and Learning Award in May. The award, which came with a nearly quarter-million-dollar grant, recognizes a school corporation that provides professional learning support for educators, including efforts that enhance recruitment and retention.