By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy’s Spanish classes presented a celebration of culture on the evening of April 16, that included live musical performances, authentic cooking videos, food samples, and recreated artwork from the Spanish-speaking world.
The audience had an experience which delighted the senses: “I really liked that there was a variety of different foods, dances, and arts from the Spanish culture,” said Sofie, a junior. “It was very fun and I enjoyed it a lot.”
The students appreciated the break from mostly focusing on language to incorporating culture.
Olivia Jordan, Campion student created a cooking video on how to make empanadas. “I enjoyed learning about the different types of foods from Spanish-speaking countries. It was fun to try to recreate the empanadas. Regan, [Campion student] and I,” Jordan explained, “had a really good time in the kitchen trying to follow the recipe and video ourselves at the same time. In the end, I think our empanadas turned out great. They were delicious!”
Poe Hla Hla, Campion student performed the song “Recuerdame,” commenting, “I am proud of myself for pushing myself out of my comfort zone and singing a song that is very dear to my heart.”
Angel Villalobos, the Spanish department’s student worker, assisted Hla Hla in the performance. “I give thanks to Angel,” Hla Hla expressed, “because I couldn’t have done this without him. He really helped me out,” she said.
The audience rose to their feet when Sandra Arlt gave a lesson on the basic steps of the well-known Latino dance, the salsa.
“One of the things I majorly enjoyed is how many vibed with my presentation. I was scared at first, and then everything just fell perfectly into place,” Arlt reflected. “I thought all of the presentations went very well. I was very proud of what we all pulled off. Overall, it was just really fun!”
At the end of the performances, the audience had the opportunity to sample food from each of the cooking shows and visit the art exhibition.
“It was a memorable day for our Spanish classes; the songs were beautiful, the videos were funny, the dances were interactive, the artwork was exceptional, and the food was delicious. I’m very proud of the students and the work they put in to make this program a success. I hope to make this an annual event at Campion,” Jill Harlow, Campion Spanish teacher said.
–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy’s communication director; photos supplied
