To make things more interesting during their time in Spanish class at Cook County High School, students are given a Spanish name. This spring, a group of second- and third-year Spanish students participated in a language immersion experience at Concordia Language Villages. Students (with their Spanish moniker) and chaperones are pictured here. (L-R, seated) Melissa Oberg, Sam “Bruno” Kern, Jocelin “Serena” Deneweth, Courtney “Cecelia” Clyde, Alyssa “Coral” Martinson. (L-R, standing) Jeff Kern, Emily “Alejandra” Jacobsen, Bayley “Teresa” Cox, Teacher Carrie “Profe” Jansen, Sarah “Yolanda” Toftey, Hannah “Liliana” VanderHeiden.
A group of eight secondand third-year Spanish students led by Spanish Teacher Carrie Jansen attended the Concordia Language Villages Spanish Camp, “El Lago del Bosque,” near Bemidji Feb. 27-March 3.
The camp is a language immersion opportunity for students. Everything about the villages mimics an authentic travel experience from the architecture of the buildings, to the food and activities.
Jansen said the language program is a wonderful way for students to put what they’ve been learning every day to use in a real world setting. “It’s kind of like athletes in a sport who practice all the time and finally get to a tournament,” said Jansen.
Students enjoyed a variety of activities while interacting with a melting pot of cultures as the counselors are primarily a mix of Hispanic and Latin American natives.
According to Cook County Junior Sam Kern, “The counselors are very excited and energetic and make sure we have fun.”
Junior Courtney Clyde said that her favorite activities were dancing, singing and playing the large Monopoly game.
The weekend was more than just fun and games. This year’s theme was Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States.
Jansen said the weekend encouraged understanding of Hispanic and Latin American culture including art, history, food and current events. “Students are thankful to the Education Foundation and school board as well as administration and staff at Cook County Schools that helped to make this opportunity available to them and hope to have the opportunity again,” she said.
Melissa Oberg and Jeff Kern also accompanied the group as chaperones.
Leave a Reply