How Multilingual Learner Daniel Lee Is Creating Belonging for Peers

By Hannah Haynes

When Daniel Lee returned to the United States at age 12 after spending several formative years in South Korea, school did not feel like a place of belonging. In addition to the challenges of moving to a new area of Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was relearning English in classrooms where no one shared his language or experience.

“I was the only Asian student in the school,” Daniel said. “I couldn’t really communicate with other people and there wasn’t much additional support.”

Daniel relied heavily on tools like Google Translate to communicate with his teachers. But translation alone was not enough, he explained. Language is about meaning, context and culture, not just words on a screen. Combined with experiences of isolation and occasional negative interactions, the transition was difficult and overwhelming.

Today, Daniel is a sophomore at Peachtree Ridge High School taking Honors and Advanced Placement classes. He is the founder and leader of the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Scholars Society, a student-run organization dedicated to supporting multilingual learners.

Learning What Support Can and Should Look Like

Daniel spent several years in ESOL programs across multiple schools. These experiences shaped his understanding of the potential and limitation of these programs. Some environments offered community, mentorship and encouragement. Others fell short of providing the language development and cultural understanding students need to thrive.

“Culture is the most important thing to understand first,” Daniel said. “Sometimes you understand half of what’s happening, but not all of it, because the culture is different. There are many unwritten rules.”

That insight became foundational to Daniel’s work. After exiting his school’s ESOL program in ninth grade and reflecting on his own academic growth, he began to see ESOL not as a limitation but as an asset and opportunity to empower students.

“I’m not taking Honors and AP classes because I’m better than anyone else,” Daniel shared. “It’s because I was given time, chance and opportunity.”

Creating an ESOL Scholar Society

During the summer between ninth and tenth grade, Daniel decided to act on what he had learned. After research, planning and a presentation to school administrators, the ESOL Scholar Society officially launched in October 2025.

Academic support is a core component of the club, but it also emphasizes areas Daniel knows are often overlooked, like English language development, school navigation, public speaking and long‑term academic planning.

Every week the students meet to study vocabulary, take quizzes and build community. Daniel recently asked club members to write about their favorite food. In a future meeting, he plans to question each student about the prompt and encourage them to speak out loud in English.

“They’re writing, speaking and listening all at once,” Daniel said. “That’s especially important for ACCESS and for real life.”

Daniel has supported more than 20 students through coursework help, school navigation and English development. Despite logistical challenges, such as transportation and after‑school availability, the club has grown to more than 30 members, mostly freshmen and sophomores. About six students regularly attend meetings, and Daniel remains committed to finding ways to improve access and participation.

What makes the organization especially powerful is its peer-led structure. Daniel describes himself as reserved and said he understands the hesitation many students feel about speaking up, asking questions or standing out.

“There are so many students who are shy or introverted or afraid of being judged,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to feel unsupported or unseen because of language.”

His club sponsor, a teacher who taught Daniel during his freshman year, has been a crucial ally, staying after school and trusting Daniel’s leadership.

Looking Ahead

Daniel is already thinking about the future of the ESOL Scholar Society. He hopes to create an official charter for the club, develop a more structured curriculum with monthly units and eventually reach younger students as they enter high school.

He is also interested in connecting with educators and organizations to continue improving his work and learning from others.

“I want to expand this work and create more opportunities for multilingual students across different schools,” Daniel said.