When a family whose children attend Sleeping Giant school needs help getting situated, the person they talk to is Irene Avitia. 

Avitia, who recently took the position as attendance secretary and registrar at the school, is a friendly face to families new to the district or the school. That includes a lot of people moving to Steamboat Springs from out of town, and it also includes those who arrive in the district from out of the country.

For both groups, Avitia is dedicated to being welcoming and helpful. For that latter group, which often includes families from Latin America who may be new to the states and the language, Avitia, who was born in the United States but grew up in Mexico and is proudly bilingual, it’s an opportunity.

---

---

“The best part of my job is supporting emergent bilingual children and families as they navigate the complexities of our education system,” Avitia said. “Connecting with people in their native language and seeing their stress ease as language barriers are lifted is incredibly rewarding. Working with amazing people makes my job even more fulfilling and enjoyable.”

Avitia grew up in Zacatecas, a small community in central Mexico, until her family moved to Steamboat Springs when she was in eighth grade.

---

---

“My dad used to work as a truck driver, and he got a job in Rangely, but didn’t feel like that was where he wanted to settle the family,” she said. “So he looked around and found Steamboat. I’ve been here since 2004, graduated from Steamboat Springs High School.”

It was a challenging time for young Irene, who had to not only learn a new place and make new friends, but had to learn a new language at the same time.

“I didn’t speak the language when we moved here, and it was challenging to adapt to new systems,” she said. “I liked the community, but there weren’t as many resources for Spanish speakers in those days, and it was tough. My parents gave me a sense of safety, but it took time to adjust.”

But Steamboat became home — and she’s never left.

“I met my husband here, and we started our family really young, and just have never wanted to leave,” Avitia said. “We knew we wanted to stay in Steamboat as much as possible.”

Avitia is able to hold fast to her heritage with her children, in part by speaking Spanish at home, and also by traveling to Mexico annually.

“It’s very important for my husband and me, and for our girls to be proud of who they are,” she said. “Proud of their native language, of our family culture, traditions. It’s part of our identity, and we don’t want to lose that.”

The position at Sleeping Giant School gives Avitia the opportunity to be a bridge for families who, like she once was, are making their new homes in Steamboat Springs.

“We’re lucky that the district here has interpreters,” she said, “but just coming in and welcoming someone in the language of their home, it’s like, ‘Oh, I’m in the right place. It’s going to be OK.’ You can tell. Over the summer, we had families walking in to enroll, and that fear of ‘How will I do this?’ The minute I spoke Spanish, it was like, ‘Oh, we can do this.’ It’s so rewarding.”

Avitia volunteers as chair of the Latinx Alliance, where she hopes to ensure Latino voices are included where decisions are made. That’s big-picture. But on a daily basis, Avitia is hearing those voices herself.

“I hope that every emergent bilingual student in our community feels proud of their heritage, culture, and native language,” she said. “Being bilingual is a powerful asset, and I hope our kids embrace that superpower with pride.”