“No matter where someone starts out, they will always end up where they are supposed to be.” This statement describes the life of Bob Cowell, one of South’s English Language Learner (ELL) Instructional Assistants. Before coming to South eight years ago, Cowell was first a lawyer and then a stay-at-home dad. According to Cowell, he was not happy being a lawyer, and he believes he benefits much more from working in South’s ELL program.
“It’s rewarding to get to know those students and work with them and try to help them succeed in school,” Cowell said.
According to Cowell’s colleague ELL Coordinator Karen LeBlanc, he is “a natural teacher.” LeBlanc said that South is lucky Cowell made a career change all those years ago.
“He truly has been a treasure for our program and really is far beyond anything we ever anticipated when he first came to our school,” LeBlanc said.
Cowell said that trying to teach students English is challenging yet rewarding because of the time it takes to get students to a level where they’re comfortable.
According to LeBlanc, Cowell is a go-to person, as he is well-rounded and very knowledgeable. Hernandez agrees because of the fact that he can go to Cowell with any problem.
“He knows everything you ask him – Math, English, Science – everything you ask, he knows it,” Hernandez said.
Senior Fany Urbano, another student of Cowell’s, came to the United States four years ago. Urbano describes Cowell as a “wise man”.
“He taught me that no matter what happens, I have to go on in my life and accomplish my dreams,” Urbano said.
Beyond the work Cowell does at South, Leblanc explained that he keeps in contact with his students after they graduate.
“We have some former students [with children], and he goes so far as to bring toys for those students’ children because he knows they could use [them],” LeBlanc said.
According to LeBlanc, it is no surprise that all of Cowell’s colleagues praise his work ethic.
“There has never been a person who has ever expressed anything but respect and admiration for the work that he does with the kids,” LeBlanc said.
Not only is Cowell an ELL Assistant, but he is also co-sponsor of a program at South called Onward House. Onward House is a program where South students and teachers volunteer at the Ukrainian Village neighborhood in Chicago every Tuesday. The tutors in this program help Chicago Public School (CPS) elementary school children with their homework.
“When our GBS students walk in the tutoring room [the elementary school kids] get all excited,” Cowell said. “‘The tutors are here, the tutors are here!’ [they say]; they get big smiles.”
According to Cowell, the kids really depend on South teachers and students to go down there every week, and the organization’s volunteers have made a big difference in the lives of the CPS students. To show their gratitude, the children make the tutors ‘thank you’ cards each year around the holidays.
According to Cowell, he enjoys Onward House because it relates to both teaching and service, both of which appeal to him as a person. To LeBlanc, Cowell’s involvement in Onward House is another extension of his upstanding character.
“He has a huge heart, and like I [said], he does it quietly without any fanfare and expects nothing in return,” Leblanc said.
