One of Hunter High School’s most impactful programs in recent years has been its Latinos In Action (LIA) chapter. As one of over 300 schools across 14 states to adopt the elective program designed to uplift and empower Hispanic and Latino youth, the local high school benefits greatly from its LIA students and their leadership and service within the school’s community. 

As of July 2024, Hunter High’s LIA instructor Lizzy Anderson was named LIA Regional Teacher of the Year for the Northern Utah/Idaho regional program. 

Anderson clarified that the award is not only a reflection of her, but also the entire Hunter High chapter. According to her, the chapter was described as the “gold standard” that LIA seeks to achieve, from its successful cooperation with elementary schools to its sponsoring of various schoolwide events such as banquets and the school’s annual Winter Ball. She credits the students for this, saying that her job as an instructor is “to steer them in the right direction.” 

“There are a lot of negative stereotypes around Latinos in general,” Anderson said. “So it’s really wonderful for them to be visible and break these stereotypes just by being themselves.” 

Anderson also teaches Spanish at Hunter High, and her language skills are part of what made her an ideal candidate to take on the program. In the six years that she has instructed Hunter High LIA, her chapter has done several noteworthy activities to celebrate Latino culture and enrich the lives of students, such as performing a Spanish-language children’s play at various elementary schools and celebrating the Latin-American holiday Dia del Nino on April 30 of each year. 

One such activity that received media attention was the LIA West Side World Car Show, a community event that the chapter holds annually. In May 2024, it drew the attention of local news stations with an impressive turnout of over 1,000 attendees. 

LIA is also partnered with four local elementary schools: Truman Elementary, Whittier Elementary, Hunter Elementary and Hillside Elementary. Students in the LIA program work directly with elementary school students through tutoring, Spanish-to-English translation, and providing cultural resources. This partnership has helped bridge the gap in learning caused by the COVID-19 school shutdowns and raise test scores up to state standards. 

“I love the connection between the high school and the elementary students,” said Jennifer Bodell, principal at Whittier Elementary. “It allows our kids to see where they will be in a few years and reminds them of their goal to graduate.” 

Through LIA’s tutoring, the “high school buddies” at these schools can be a positive influence on the lives of elementary students, which is something that Anderson makes sure to emphasize. “I think it’s really special that these kids have role models who look like them and go to the schools they’ll be going to in the future,” Anderson said. 

In recent years, the Hunter High LIA chapter has expanded the number of available class periods from four to five to accommodate its rapid growth as more and more students sign up for the program. LIA continues to bear a standard for celebrating the growing diversity of West Valley City and empowering its many young people from all walks of life.