WHS students strengthen Spanish skills through trip to Costa Rica

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School students who passed Spanish 3 through Spanish 5 were able to attend a two-week trip in Costa Rica where they had the opportunity to interact with and immerse themselves within the culture there.

All 16 students from Windham High School's Spanish 3
through Spanish 5 classes gather in Monteverde, Costa Rica
on June 22. Students who received a passing grade in
these classes were given the opportunity to spend over
two weeks within the culture of Costa Rica. While there,
they did volunteer work, went sightseeing and had 
interaction with communities while working to improve
their Spanish through engagement with the culture.
SUBMITTED PHOTO     

The 16 students who attended stayed with host families, did activities, attended school and earned one Spanish credit, volunteered and worked on strengthening their Spanish through community interaction from June 14 to June 29.

Attendees included Chase Gagnon, Caleb Hayman, Sean LeBel, Renner Gerrity, Nico Hidell, Maddy Nugent, Ember Good, Maggie Soule, Ella Washburn, Maya Dries, Eilee Saxby, Brenna Small, Denali Momot, Isabella Thibodeau, Caroline Langerman and Sienna Ruth.

“Going into this trip I was very anxious and hesitant,” said Ella Washburn, who graduated before leaving for the trip. “Being sent to another country for 16 days and living with strangers sounds very intimidating. We were all told that the best way to learn a language was to be immersed in it. I learned a lot not only about their culture but also about myself. Volunteering in the local school ... and getting to feed sloths at the animal refuge league (were two of my favorite parts of the trip).”

WHS Spanish teachers Elizabeth Bubier and Tianna Burton were the trip chaperones. Bubier and Burton first heard about the Centro Panamericano de Idiomas or CPI from a language conference they attended years ago. With CPI, students stay with Costa Rican families and attend classes, volunteer, and get to do tourist activities.

Burton said the fastest path to fluency is experiencing the language, food, and music. When taking Spanish in high school, she says students get anxious about making mistakes and believe they aren’t capable of communicating effectively in Spanish. Costa Rica helps them to gain confidence. They are empowered to continue studying Spanish and their path to fluency.

For Burton, that is the most important takeaway from these trips.

“I have so many favorite moments on this trip, but two standout above the rest,” said Burton. “The first is on day two and three when a number of students were awed by the fact they had started thinking in Spanish. We assured them they could do it, that communication would get easier every day, but most didn’t believe us. On our walk to school the second day in country one student said, ‘I woke up this morning thinking about the conversation I would have with my Mama Tica over breakfast and then I realized I was thinking in Spanish instead of in English first only to translate it to Spanish.’ She was so excited and her confidence with Spanish only grew from there.”

The Windham students had school responsibilities with the expectation they would participate in all the activities. With their families, they were required to speak Spanish as well as in the classroom. There were everyday communications to buy snacks at the corner or in the local markets. After four hours of classes each day they went out to lunch at local restaurants. One day they came upon a festival, and many Windham students spoke with some older Costa Ricans and even danced with them.

“For us, the main goal of this trip is never just one goal,” said Bubier. “We want kids to get excited about speaking Spanish as well as experience a new culture and all its parts: family life, new foods, art, music, history, and everything that encompasses culture. We also believe that giving back to the communities in Costa Rica is important as well as having fun while you are doing everything the program offers.” 

Students did volunteer work at an elementary school, two animal rehabilitation facilities and a coffee farm. Windham students went on a city tour of San José, a hanging bridge tour of a tropical forest, zip lining, and a beach excursion to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific Ocean.

“This was my first opportunity to go on this trip,” said Chase Gagnon, a WHS junior. “Before going to Costa Rica, my Spanish was alright, but after being there for two weeks I was able to enhance my Spanish by not just our Spanish classes but also being around people who spoke Spanish and learning it from them. The surfing lessons and day at the beach was my favorite experience because surfing was incredibly fun and we were able to swim at the beach with all of our friends afterwards. We got to go to an animal sanctuary and help out. I enjoyed it because I was able to feed a sloth and I thought that was pretty cool.”

According to Burton, taking these trips with students and getting to see the students gain independence, self-confidence, global awareness, commitment to service, and to make new friends is the best part of her job as a language teacher.

“Both Tianna and I love this trip for so many reasons,” said Bubier. “We love Costa Rica, we love our students and we love watching them learn and grow. It is an amazing adventure for all involved.” <

Student groups coordinate effort supporting families in need for holidays

By Elizabeth Richards

In a year where more families than ever may be struggling to provide a holiday celebration for their families, the honor societies and Student Council at Windham High School are pulling together to give back to the community.

“All of the honor societies like to give back during the season,” said Katy Dresnok, coordinator for the French Honor Society at WHS.

Five different organizations at Windham High
School, including the honor societies and student
council are teaming up to collect donations to
sponsor families in need in the area this 
Christmas season. FILE PHOTO  

Because of COVID, she said, making connections is harder this year. Although clubs are connecting online, they aren't meeting in person, and activities they've done in the past aren't a possibility this year.  

“The kids still want to do something, and give back somehow,” Dresnok said.

As the student groups thought about what that might be, Dresnok said, they realized that a lot of people are having a hard time this year.

Initially, she said, she approached David Dyke, coordinator for the Latin Honor Society and Elizabeth Bubier, coordinator for the Spanish Honor Society with the idea to do something together. The idea was then expanded to include Windham High School’s National Honor Society and the WHS Student Council as well.

The end result is a joint effort among the five groups. They decided to get it out to the public, as well to get as many people as possible involved.

“People want to help, they just don’t know how,” Dresnok said.

For this effort, each school group will coordinate donations to support a different family from Windham or Raymond during the holidays.  With the help of monetary donations from the community, they’ll support at least five families.

“It went from a little thing to a big thing,” Dresnok said.  

The goal is to collect $1,000, which will provide food items, gifts, and a gift card to Hannaford so families can purchase their desired main entrée for their holiday dinner.

Each club will collect and purchase donations according to a list of needs provided by the school social worker, Doug Daigle, who will then get the packages to the families.

Any donations received that exceed the need for the five selected families will either be used to extend the effort to more families or donated to a community program to help people in need, Dresnok said.

Any excess food donations will be donated to a local food pantry.

Dresnok said they all feel fortunate to be living in Maine, and able to go to school at least part time.  At the same time, she said, they realize that a lot of people are struggling. 

“It feels really good to help people, even if we don’t know who we’re helping,” she said. 

Dresnok appreciates the fact that the students are doing something for others, and they love it too, she said.

“They always go big…the kids are super generous, and this is a way for them to do something for the benefit of the community.”

Monetary donations will be accepted until Dec. 17, which will allow for time to assemble and deliver the items, Dresnok said. 

An account is set up at WHS for people to donate to student activities. 

For this effort, anyone wishing to donate can go to https://rsu14.androgov.com  and select student activities, noting WHS Holiday Fundraising Campaign in the payment description area.

Checks can be sent as well, made out to Windham High School, with Holiday Fundraising Campaign noted on the memo line. <