CLINTON - Four Clinton High School students are learning a valuable lesson about language skills and community service.

Brian Rosten, Jamie Steward, Hannah Dann and Luke Dempsey volunteer several hours a week to help junior high students whose primary language is Spanish.

Rosten spends the first 30 minutes of every school day working with four students. On one recent morning, the group played a card game that helped build English skills.

Lizbeth Flores, a shy seventh-grader, said the extra practice helped build her confidence.

"I will do better in school and I'll be able to write better," said Flores. The 13-year-old brings her improved skills home to help her mother and young brother, who are learning English.

The Clinton School District does not have an English as a Second Language, or ESL, teacher to help translate lessons for the students. Third- and fourth-year students in Spanish classes have helped fill that gap.

Michele Parac, a teacher's aide who helps students with their English class, said the junior high students are improving.

"I don't know any Spanish. Brian is teaching them what the words are in both languages and that makes a big difference," said Parac.

For Rosten, the volunteer project serves several purposes.

"I'm going to try to be an ESL teacher. This is baptism by fire - it's a good way to learn how to be a teacher," said Rosten.

Working with the students also helps Rosten and his peers become more fluent in conversational Spanish.

"When you hear people speak Spanish, you learn what to pick up on. It helps your listening skills in English, too," he said.

Students also receive credit toward their community service requirement for graduation.

"They didn't know enough information to do well with their classes. The kids we teach have an absolute need for us," said Steward, who said the students had been behind in their education because of the language barrier.

Dann, Steward and Dempsey work with individual students during the school day.

The students are making progress, said Dann. "Before, we had to translate everything in the classroom. Now they take it all in and they'll ask questions if they don't know something."

Dempsey said he will use his Spanish skills after he begins his service with the U.S. Navy. He said the work is worth giving up the study hall he misses every day.

"I think this will be a permanent program here in Clinton. It will become something bigger and greater than what we started," said Dempsey.

School officials said funding is the major reason an ESL teacher has not been hired by the district. Grant funding may be requested next year to hire a teacher with Spanish-speaking skills.