This year marks the 36th Summer Program run by the English Learning Center of the American School of Barcelona, a program for PK to Grade 11 students looking to immerse themselves in English in an engaging and interactive environment.

Led by current faculty, Ms. Meg Holmes, who has been teaching at ASB since 1997, this year's program welcomes more than 300 students worldwide, supported by close to 40 staff, including two alums, Brayden Spencer '22 and Alex Alcaide Argudo '17, both ELC Program Assistants.

Having former ASB students involved in the program brings a unique blend of familiarity that allows them to easily connect with the students, creating a stronger sense of community and mentorship. It's also fun to note that both alums knew Ms. Meg when they were elementary students - she was Brayden's third-grade teacher and Alex's brother, Pablo's, teacher too.

"Having the kids back, seeing how far they've come, remembering them at 8 or 9 years old, a lot has changed, but the feeling hasn't changed. They still hold the same values we instilled in them at that age," shared Ms. Meg.

Brayden studies Digital Humanities and Information Technology at the University of Cork in Ireland. In addition to helping with the set-up for the program, he has been involved in everything tech, including documenting activities and events through promotional materials, photographs, and videography. 

"I'm thrilled to be able to use my skills practically in a real-world job. I used to be involved in school Rotary Interact student service activities, making many videos and posters, but working with the ELC Summer Program is a much bigger opportunity. I want to continue doing this kind of work in the future."

Alex completed his studies in Primary Education at Blanquerna - Universidad Ramón Llull and will commence as a full-time substitute teacher at ASB in the fall. He aspires to be a physical education teacher and is very involved in the sports activities of the program for students in PK through Kindergarten.

"It's rewarding to see the kids having a great time. We're all tired at the end of the day, but it's a good feeling when you see they have enjoyed themselves."

With the program coming to a close today, we're so happy to have had Brayden and Alex involved this year. For more information on the ELC Summer Program, click HERE.

View the videos below created by Brayden to get an overview of the student experiences:

Kinder video

Morning Primary Video

Secondary Video

ELC Afternoon Final