Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science are exploring science in a different language.

The VSVS Spanish initiative, which began earlier this month, is focusing on Nashville youth who mainly know English as a second language.

"Many of these students are suffering academically because they do not receive proper instruction at school," said VSVS board member senior Swati Bansal. "Bilingual attention is needed to help remedy this problem."

This semester the program will start with John B Whitsitt Elementary School, John Overton High School and Woodbine Community Center, where the lessons will be presented to both children and their parents. 

The initiative also aims to include Vanderbilt students not already involved with VSVS, soliciting help from Spanish majors and minors.

In the program, the volunteers go into the schools and teach age-appropriate science lessons. For example, for the elementary and community center students, the focus is on easier lessons in the physical sciences. For the high school students, the focus is on more advanced lessons in the biological sciences.

The volunteers teach all lessons in English to make sure the students learn all terms in English, but members provide explanations in Spanish to speed up the learning process.

"Ultimately the students will gain a better understanding of science and hopefully learn English through a unique way," Bansal said. "Although we have had some logistical complications, the program has been extremely successful, and we hope to expand further next semester."