By Heydi Medina
ROGERS, ARK. — Spanish classes at Haas Hall Academy at the Lane assembled cultural projects with their own personal touch. The projects from each class created environments for the scholars to connect with their families and expand on their heritages in a truly inspiring way.
In Spanish I, the cultural project was to create an Ofrenda: an altar created in the home with pictures of loved ones who have passed and their favorite foods and items to honor them. According Rogers sophomore Josue Raygoza, it had been “difficult to find a photo,” although it allowed for a deeper grasp on what his family members were like.
Raygoza states, “I was able to go visit other family members and discuss who he [grandfather] had been as a person. My abuela (grandmother) helped me make Pan de Muertos,” while speaking Spanish to create a special bonding moment.
“Spanish was my first language, and being able to take this class has allowed me to write, read, and communicate more,” Raygoza explained.
Professora Claire Glover, who has been teaching at the Haas Hall Rogers campus since the opening, encourages these types of projects to help immerse scholars in the language. “I wanted to nod to Día de Los Muertos and recreate the glowing sights from México down in the lobby. An upshot from the projects was getting to hear the sweet stories about students going home to visit and talk with their families,” Glover said.
While the Spanish I classes were tasked with getting their crafting skills on, the Spanish III classes took it upon themselves to get in the kitchen and whip up a special creation.
The cultural project for the Spanish III was to cook a dish significant to Latino culture. Abigail Olivas Bartels, Rogers sophomore, explained her experience with creating Green Chili Tamales: “I loved tamales, and my grandma and I were able to cook together in her small kitchen.”
Bartels expressed that, “The process was difficult because of the time it took to make them, but looking back at the finished product made me feel good about them. I was proud of my work!”
In the future, Bartels said she’s excited to “…learn more about cultural differences about Peru, Spain and México, and other Spanish speaking cultures. Also, the greater connection between friends and family was a significant factor that I am looking forward to accomplishing.”
Glover discussed her own experiences with the language and how it has affected her own life. Glover explains, “I just fell into studying languages, [and] . . . Spanish seemed the most useful to me. I was thrown into teaching . . . [and] enjoyed it.”
She has even found ways to incorporate the language along with some of its cultural aspects into her own life such as speaking “little words to [her son],” and even going as far as getting called, “mamacita!”
