LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Jeremías Revete, 6, has traveled a lot more than most children his age. He and his family traveled more than 2,000 miles from Honduras to the United States for a chance at a better future.
His father, Andy Bello, was the first to arrive in Denver. The 6-year-old and his mother arrived a few months later.
“We didn’t have enough money to travel here together. It’s a hard trip," Jeremías's mother, Isneiberlis Revete, told Denver7 in Spanish. "It's hard, especially for the children."
Isneiberlis said her son gives her the strength to keep going.
"He told me we could do it. He also wanted to see his dad," she added.
Jeremías and his parents are adjusting to their new life in Colorado. His new school, Slater Elementary in Lakewood, has welcomed him and his family with open arms.
"There have been challenges," said Slater Elementary Principal Brooke Tolmachoff. "But I'm excited to say that we work in a building that's just so supportive and a district that's so supportive and really looks for ways to overcome these barriers."
The first-grader is part of an influx of newcomer students who have arrived from Central and South America during the 2023-2024 school year.
The influx of migrants has boosted enrollment at schools across the Front Range. Jeffco Public Schools said it has been serving an additional 335 students this school year. Slater Elementary has seen around 50 new students this school year.
Tolmachoff said the school has made its ESL teaching position full-time instead of part-time and added bilingual support staff in the office.
"There's different hardships and there's different challenges," Tolmachoff said. "I think that families are facing something that our community hasn't experienced before. And I'm just proud of how everyone has risen to the challenge."
While Jeremías has been making great progress in the classroom, he's also teaching his school a lot.
"I think that all of our staff is completely humbled by some of the harrowing experiences and lengths that our families went to get here, and just the grit and determination. And it's overwhelming," said Tolmachoff.
During the 2023-2024 school year, Denver Public Schools has seen 2,705 newcomer students, Aurora Public Schools has seen 1,914, and Adams 12 has seen 605. Many migrant students arrived after the state’s October count date, which is used to determine per-pupil funding.
Denver Public Schools, which is seeing the most amount of newcomer students, says it has submitted an adjusted budget to its Board of Education that will be voted on at their meeting Thursday.
