Our Middle School students, starting in 5th grade, learn foundational verbal and written vocabulary two to three times a week for 65 minutes. Our students learn about traditions and cultures from Spanish-speaking countries around the world, too. This gives them exposure and an interest in keeping connected to the language they are learning in class.

Señora Lugo with one of her students Middle School, Ray S.

This week our students wrote their reports in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Each year, Americans observe this special recognition from September 15 to October 15th, by celebrating the cultures, histories, and contributions of American citizens who came from or have ancestors that came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Bo M. reading his report to his classmates. He selected to research Ceasar Chavez and learned that he was an American labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962.
Hailee W. shared with her class that, “Astronaut Ellen Ochoa was selected by NASA in 1990 and became the world’s first Hispanic female astronaut in 1991.”
Bjorn H. selected to research Ricky Martin. Some people might remember the “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” which attained enormous worldwide success and brought Latin pop to the center stage in the late 90’s.
Bella B. learned about Penélope Cruz Sánchez. She is a famous Spanish actress and model who has received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2008 for her role in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”

Did you know today, “57.5 million people or 18% of the American Population are of Hispanic or Latino origin” (hispanicheritagemonth.org)?

Our state-of-the-art middle school Spanish program with DVD, CD, textbook, and workbook starts in 6th grade and prepares all our students to enter into High School Spanish II in 9th Grade. 9th Grader Kamden I. stated, “While at Franklin Academy I learned how to manage my time, remain organized, and how to be comfortable interacting with my teachers. I felt that I was provided a helpful academic foundation (being on track for Advance Placement classes, comfortable in Spanish II as a freshman, advance math, etc.). But the most important thing gained by going to Franklin Academy may be the confidence to ask questions and to challenge myself. I’m so grateful for how prepared I’ve been, thus far, in 9th grade thanks to expertise of teachers like Señora Lugo.” Our students come from Preschool and the Lower School with a confident level of basic Spanish, but are conjugating verbs and mastering tenses as well as gaining some fluency during the last three years in our program.

 

 

 

 

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