Language no barrier to Patterson High School senior

by Mary Helen Sprecher
newsroom@baltimoreguide.com

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The Class of 2007 is an annual feature in which local high schools nominate students whom they feel have been particularly outstanding, for recognition.

The challenges the typical high school student faces—family responsibilities, trying to get good grades, worrying about college acceptances, trying to resist peer pressure—are formidable enough.

Now think about doing all that when English isn’t your first language. And then think about graduating in the top 10 of your new high school.

Aishatou (Bella) Atcha hails from West Africa. In fact, Africa was her home until her family moved to America and she transferred into Patterson High School for her junior year.

“I came to America in July of 2005,” said Bella.

Was it a big adjustment?

“Oh, yeah,” she laughed. “Yeah. I didn’t understand English at all, but they gave me some classes.”

That was then. This is now. Bella is on her way to Towson University on a Top 10 Per Cent Scholarship. And she already has her plans.

“I want to study surgical nursing, she said. “I like the idea of helping people.”
In fact, she can’t wait to rotate through all the aspects of a nursing education including the emergency room.

“Working with handicapped people, sick people, making them feel well, that’s what I want to do.”

Of course, there’s also the allure of living on campus.

“I’ll be on my own.”

She is the middle child of her family (a younger sister is a ninth grader at Patterson, an older brother is already in the work force). Her parents, Yama and Mutumba Kapange, are proud of their brood.

As much as she is looking forward to getting an education and to all the opportunities it will afford, her, she is equally excited about the prospect of returning to Africa and visiting old friends there.

According to her guidance counselor, Rhonda Waller, Bella will be missed at Patterson, wherever life takes her.

“She’s great—her personality, her spirit,” said Waller. She’s just so determined to make things happen for herself. She will hunt me down: ‘Have you mailed that scholarship application? Have you done it? Have you? Have you?’ I’m telling her, ‘Yes, yes, Atcha, I sent it to Towson, it’s done.’”

Part of what makes Bella unique, said Waller, is her total determination in the face of obstacles.

“Just the way she wants to progress. She has this fighting spirit, she wants to get things done. To overcome the language barrier and to adapt to our culture so very quickly—she’s just great.”

In addition to being a standout grade-wise, Bella has distinguished herself as a tennis player on Patterson’s varsity team—that sport being another skill that she honed along with the English language upon her arrival in America.

But deep down inside, Bella is pretty much like any other 17-year-old. She looks forward to her prom, and to graduation. She likes spending time with her friends and hopes to travel someday.

“I like the idea of learning a lot of languages, learning about different countries, new people.”

Because one language barrier—and one challenge—is never enough to an overachiever.