Language News

Last spring, students in Dr. Hidalgo de Jesús’ Spanish Conversation and Composition class prepared the following  service community learning projects:

1. Amnesty International:  The group wrote letters to the government of Mexico describing their disgust with the violation of two Mexican women's human rights who were raped and abused few years ago.  It was also an option for the class to write a letter to the two women telling them of their support and hope for justice for them.
2. Habitat for Humanity: Students prepared an informative PowerPoint in which they presented the program, the function of the program, and how it helps families and also helps the students to gain experience in social community issues. Students prepared a skit about helping in the construction of houses in Central America. 
3. Public Health and Clinics in the community: Students researched public clinics offering language interpretation services. They also prepared a skit about a family (daughter and widowed, American father) along with 2 receptionists at a clinic, acting out the process of scheduling an appointment. In the end, each person gave his or her opinion on the importance of having a public clinic in the community that a person lives in. 
4. Coffee in San Lucas Guatemala and the Juan Ana’s Coffee project: The Juan Ana project is a way to help poor farmers grow coffee crops so that they can afford to pay for their homes, food, clothes and to send their children to school. Students gave a PowerPoint presentation on the importance of coffee to the people of Guatemala and also how the Juan Ana project helps them. They also used a TV “interview” to answer questions about the Juan Ana project 
5. Heifer International: Students informed the class what the Heifer International Organization does, how it helps others and what they can do to help.They created a "contest" in a local elementary school to see what class can raise the most money to help us send a cow to another country at the cost of $500. They filmed a brief segment on what a heifer is and how it can help a community with a real heifer.

Additionally, the Spanish Club, with Dr. Hidalgo de Jesús, advisor, visited the Geinsinger Hospital Ronald McDonald House on April 13, 2012. Students cooked a Puerto Rican pasta dinner for the residents. The students also had the opportunity to practice their Spanish with Spanish-speaking residents.   

Pictured are Language majors and minors who are studying this summer in Valladolid, Spain, on a trip organized by Dr. Hidalgo de Jesús.