Bridging a Gap Between Language & Culture: Spanish 10 Builds Relationship with Honduras Orphanage
Earlier this year the Spanish 10 class was one of three International video contest winners. The prize was $1,000. Señora Marte asked her class what they would like to do with their prize money. In the true spirit of YHS whose motto “Not for ourselves alone,” the class chose to donate their prize money to El Hogar, an orphanage in Honduras.
The money will specifically go towards a new dormitory for girls going into the 6th Grade at El Hogar. On April 27th Ms. Kelly Van Unen, a representative of Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF) visited the class. She gave the girls a blank canvas on which they painted a beautiful picture that will hang in the dormitory in Honduras. Later in class on May 17th, the YHS girls had the amazing opportunity to Skype with the Honduran girls that they donated the money to! They spoke in Spanish to their new friends and got to know them a little bit, bridging a gap between language and culture. They were able to see the girls receiving the picture they had painted for them, and were able to wish them all the best in their new dormitory!
York House was introduced to Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF) at our Globe Fair three years ago. They are a Vancouver-based family organization committed to breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Committed to serving vulnerable and impoverished children in a variety of communities, UOF has been providing academic and vocational training to boys in El Hogar, Honduras, since 1979. Five years ago, they welcomed girls into their program and are now committed to providing a high-school for girls so they can finish their education and have skills to get a job.
Thank you to Señora Marte and her Grade 10 Spanish class for taking the initiative to support girls in Spanish speaking countries. What a wonderful way to improve their Spanish language skills, gain greater awareness of another part of the world and learn more about what challenges girls face in the developing world. Señora Marte sees this as just the beginning of a long-term relationship between York House School and the ‘Girls of El Hogar’.
For more information on Universal Outreach Foundation, visit www.universaloutreachfoundation.org or contact Ms. Stanger, YHS Director of Global Programs.
Congratulations on your amazing work, Spanish 10 girls!
Lynne Stanger, Director of Global Programs
Señora Marte, Spanish Teacher
