As the Sioux Falls School District prepares to conclude its 17th year of the Spanish Immersion program, it's important to reflect on the factors that have contributed to its success. At the heart of any educational achievement is a passionate and dedicated staff. This includes not only teachers but also counselors, administrators, custodians, nutrition workers, and tutors—every individual who plays a role within the school. One group that has been instrumental in the program’s growth and success is our Spanish Immersion interns. These young educators come from around the world, traveling to Sioux Falls to live with host families and assist in our Spanish Immersion classrooms.
Brenda Nour and Paula Fitzsimmons are the current Spanish Intern coordinators. They are both dedicated parent volunteers, and along with school staff, they are responsible for interviewing interns and matching them with host families. Interns usually have a big get together once a month for collaboration and development, and to make sure everybody is having a good experience. This is all part of the logistical element of getting native-Spanish speaking interns into our schools, but it's in the classroom where cultural connection and idea sharing really starts to take off.
Alajandro Castro works at Hayward Elementary with kindergarten, first, and second grade students. As a two-way Spanish Immersion intern, he helps students throughout the day while speaking both Spanish and English. "I get to work with different teachers, so I get to see the differences in their teaching strategies. I think that's a benefit to this program, to help prepare me for teaching." Alajandro says that as he is teaching students, he gets the opportunity to also learn from them! "Being in the immersion program has been great for my English. When I first got here I felt like it could be improved, and I'm getting better at it every day." He says that everybody in the intern process has been very kind and helpful, and he loves to get to learn about a different culture, while also sharing his Colombian heritage with the community.
Cristina Valerio Ajenjo helps in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms at Hayward. "Teaching is my passion. I have a bachelors in elementary education and a bachelors in early childhood education." While teaching is her passion, she says she also enjoys hearing about each student's culture and the differences and similarities they have with her Spanish upbringing. "I'm from Spain, so there are many cultural differences. I've given presentations to students on what my life is like in Spain, and they tell me all about their own home cultures and what life is like for them."
Cristina, and all of the SFSD Spanish Interns, worked with the Amity Institute to find a place in education here in Sioux Falls. Parent Advocates for Spanish Immersion (PASI) work with SFSD officials in partnership with the Amity Institute to bring interns from all over the world to our Spanish Immersion schools. A clear measure of the program’s success is that over half of our current Spanish Immersion teachers began as interns! Spanish Immersion continues to grow and develop year after year, and it is continually sought after by families throughout the Sioux Falls community. As the program thrives and expands, the interns who arrive to help out in the classroom will continue to be a crucial part of the expanded opportunities for students.