Tampa Prep Senior Robert Beretski has always been proud of his identity and culture. And, knowing the struggles that many Hispanic immigrants face, especially with regards to the academic system and speaking English, he wanted to help.
Founded in Fall 2024, Mentes Brillantes is an educational program dedicated to helping Hispanic immigrant students improve their English skills while building confidence and pride in their cultural identity. What began as one-on-one tutoring has grown into a collaborative effort with multiple volunteers working with students simultaneously.
How did you get the idea to begin Mentes Brillantes?
“Coming from a Hispanic household, I’ve always been extremely proud of my identity and culture. Knowing the struggles that many Hispanic immigrants face, especially with regards to the academic system and speaking English, I wanted to take responsibility for these challenges and provide support to these students on their journey. In a way, I saw the program as a way to give back to the community that has made up a very important part of who I am today.”
Tell me about the program: when did it start, what does it do, etc.
“It started in the fall of 2024, where I began teaching students one-on-one by myself. Since then, it has grown into a larger teaching system in which multiple tutors work with students individually at the same time. Mentes Brillantes is designed to provide supplemental support for Hispanic immigrant students learning to speak English, while also building their confidence and encouraging them to take pride in their heritage. It also functions as a volunteer opportunity for Spanish students at Tampa Prep wanting to gain real-world practice in their language skills and make a difference in their community; our current volunteers are Alejandra Jimenez ’28, Carolina Reynaud ’28, Laila Patel ’28, and Armando Monclova ’28, and they will carry on Mentes Brillantes for the school once I graduate.”
What steps did you take to get the program started?
“My first step was to identify a specific region in/near Tampa to work in that had a large population of students in need of my services. This first turned out to be Plant City, but after getting the program started, there turned out to be a number of difficulties: transportation between the school was difficult, and going digital also wasn’t conducive to the students’ learning. After a few setbacks, I decided to keep looking for a solution, leading me to get in contact with the Family Community Center (a division of Hillsborough County Public Schools that focuses on a variety of immigrant services). I decided to partner with them, and through the partnership I gained a space to work in downtown Tampa where I now conduct all of my teaching sessions.”
What did you hope to accomplish with this program?
“At first, I simply started my program with the goal of sparking positive change in a community that I hold dear. Seeing the program evolve and grow over time, I’ve come to realize that it can do so much more than just teaching English: with every session of Mentes Brillantes I aim not only to improve my students’ language skills, but also to inspire feelings of confidence, pride, and help empower them to grow into future innovators and leaders of the world.”
How many languages do you speak?
“I speak two languages: English and Spanish.”
Tell me about an experience (or experiences) with this program that really stands out to you.
“Teaching my first student, Adrian, a nine year old immigrant from Cuba, has stuck with me ever since I met him. It was the first time I gained a real perspective on the challenges students like him face daily. Adrian is one of the smartest students I’ve tutored, but due to his struggles with English, every other class becomes more difficult for him because of the simple fact that they are all taught in a language he doesn’t understand. This realization revealed to me that language barriers can often hide a student’s true potential, and it made me think about the countless other students out there whose capabilities to also make a difference in the world are limited by circumstances they can’t control.”
Is there any part of your Tampa Prep experience that you feel helped you with this program?
“My experience with both the writing center and peer tutoring programs at Prep have greatly improved my ability to teach and connect with students, and Sr. Carreño’s Spanish classes strengthened the love I have for my heritage.”
How long have you attended Tampa Prep?
“I started at Prep as a freshman, and I’ve spent four very meaningful and rewarding years here.”
What are your plans after graduation?
“After graduation, I will attend the University of Florida, where I will be studying biology on a pre-med track in the honors program. While I will no longer be in Tampa, I will continue working with the program in college, and I plan on joining various student organizations at UF to continue empowering my local community.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
“We recently received wonderful news: the partners I work with at the Family Community Center received a grant of $2million that is focused on growing the English teaching services that Mentes Brillantes provides. This will include upgrades to our technology and the opening of new facilities in neighboring regions of Tampa to expand our reach.”
