Scottie Aguon

Mr. Merar
ED 282
26 March 2015
Student Interview: Jonathan DeLeon Guerrero
Jonathan DeLeon Guerrero has been in school for 14 years now, and is currently enrolled
at Northern Marianas College, pursuing a Major in Natural Research Management. Jonathan has
a bicultural background, his mother being Filipina and his father is Chamorro. In his years of
being a student, teachers are aware of the diversity that is present in every classroom, making the
learning experience equal and fair amongst the students. According to Jonathan multiculturalism
is important, because being able to meet and become friends with others with different cultures
can break offensive stereotypes. So in order to encourage multiculturalism, it is best to get to
know everyone (become friends) no matter their race. For example at Saipan Southern High
School, there were so many Korean students and for a while he did not make much contact with
them. It was only until he had a group project that he had to work with his Korean classmates. As
a result, he got to know them, and so he learned that despite the language barrier, and like him,
they are just normal high school students. So whenever he is in a new class with new people, he
tries to get to know everyone despite whom they are, because we are all the same.
Despite living in a multicultural background, Jonathan does not speak either Chamorro or
Filipino. Instead he can kind of understand both. Though English has never been Jons favorite
subject, he knows that others have a difficult time on the subject. So whenever a classmate needs
help and the teacher takes up additional time to help those particular students, he knows that it is
for the best that they learn even though it is a different pace. Though he has been in classes

where students become irritate with the hindrance that a diverse class can cause. So Jon tries
his best to defend his fellow classmates telling others to calm down or give them a chance.
Jon does not take racial tensions too seriously, when someone has a problem with someone or
another race, its simply their problem to solve. In the classroom, Jonathan said that his teachers,
aside from his bilingual teachers, allow students to express themselves ethnically. Just not in a
negative fashion, whether it was towards themselves or others.