District 88 students gain work-based learning experience through Heritage Spanish Career Fluency Program with Addison Bank & Trust

Students in District 88’s 2025-26 Heritage Spanish Career Fluency Program recently began their rotations with various business partners. This course helps students develop their skills in professional settings and introduces them to a variety of career paths, while enhancing their biliteracy.

This is accomplished through a job-shadow component, where participants visit worksites once a week during second semester of the school year. The goal is to encourage pupils to use their Spanish as much as possible, so they can learn about different fields and how to use their Spanish professionally to give them a competitive edge. 

One of those local companies is Addison Bank & Trust. As a valued business partner, the bank provided an opportunity for students to learn about careers in banking beyond what they typically envision, exploring areas such as retail banking, mortgage lending and wealth/investment planning.

Participants gained exposure to an array of financial products, including checking and savings accounts, CDs and IRAs. They also went behind the teller line to observe day-to-day operations, customer interactions and the role of a supervisor in supporting staff and ensuring compliance. A highlight was hearing directly from bilingual professionals about how their ability to speak Spanish plays a critical role in serving and educating the community. Branch Manager Fabiana Bertoncello helped coordinate these efforts.

The Heritage Spanish Career Fluency Program highlights how community partnerships help students connect classroom learning to real-world career opportunities and see themselves thriving in professional spaces. District 88 is always looking to develop more partnerships, and those who are interested can find information at www.dupage88.net/BusinessPartnerships.