Spanish in the Community

TELLING OUR COMMUNITY’S STORIES

Spanish in the Community

Samantha Krasne’s Upper School Social Impact Spanish class, “Spanish in the Community,” helps students leave the comfort of their classroom and engage with the Dallas community. The course builds connections between people of different ages and creates a more just and compassionate world. Students participate in conversations in Spanish with employees from Hockaday, children from local schools, and owners of businesses in West Dallas.

“Everyone has a story to tell and every story matters,” said Krasne. The class is modeled on StoryCorp, an independently funded organization that started in 2003 in a story booth in Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Conversations were archived in the Library of Congress, and more than half a million people have recorded their stories since then.

Beyond using the girls’ Spanish language skills, these conversations help students develop empathy and compassion, be creative, collaborate, and connect with people outside of their community. Recently, the class interviewed Hockaday employees. Below is an excerpt from an interview with José Sanchez, a member of Hockaday’s Maintenance team.

¿Cómo era su infancia?

Mi infancia fue muy bonita. La razón es porque yo nací en un pueblo muy pequeño. Es como tres mil personas donde todos acostumbramos a jugar con nuestros vecinos, diferentes tipos de juegos. No sé si ustedes hayan escuchado uno que se llama Bebeleche, béisbol, fútbol, de todo, a las escondidas, o en algunos lugares, le dicen los encantados, pero era muy divertido porque nos reunimos todos los del vecindario para poder jugar. Salimos de la escuela y estábamos ansiosos todos para poder jugar, cada día era algo diferente. Además, nos gustaba ir al campo, a cazar animales, nos íbamos también a montar a caballos, era parte de nuestra infancia, jugar y vernos envueltos en cada una de esas cosas.

What was your childhood like?

My childhood was very nice. The reason is because I was born in a very small town. It’s like three thousand people where we all get used to playing with our neighbors, different types of games. I don’t know if you have heard of one called hopscotch, baseball, football, hide and seek, or in some places, they call it differently, but it was so much fun because we met everyone in the neighborhood to be able to play. We got out of school and were anxious to be able to play, every day it was something different. In addition, we liked going to the countryside, hunting animals, riding horses, it was part of our childhood, playing and getting involved in each of those things.

Class members interview members of Hockaday’s staff in Spanish.

¿Quién ha sido la mayor influencia en tu vida? ¿Qué lecciones enseñó a esa persona o esas personas?

Bueno, uno de ellos sería mi abuelo que nos enseñó todo, a poder, muchos principios, muchos valores, básicamente en lo que soy se lo debo a él y ha influido mucho a pesar de que ya falleció. Siempre tengo ese recuerdo de él. Siempre tengo sus enseñanzas y siempre en cada momento me recuerdo nunca se lo … porque él me enseñó a saber estar. Y este siempre lo llevo en mi corazón y en mi mente.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life? What lessons did that person or people teach?

Well, one of them would be my grandfather who taught us everything, to power, many principles, many values, basically the way I am I owe to him, and he has influenced me a lot despite that he already passed away. I always have that memory of him. I always have his teachings and always at every moment I never remember him … because he taught me to know how to be. And I always carry this in my heart and mind.

¿Qué tradiciones ha transmitido a su familia?

La mayoría. La mayoría todo es … Tratamos, no es fácil pero estamos siempre. El Día de muertos es muy fuerte. En Navidad lo celebramos de una manera diferente. Por ejemplo, el día de Reyes, no sé si ustedes lo han escuchado, el seis de enero, siempre tenemos que tener una rosca y también se les ofrecemos regalos a los niños. Es algo muy padre porque es algo en el cual tienes que..tienes con tu familia disfrutamos. Y siempre ha sido muy tradicional. Siempre es algo que se hace. Y estamos ansiosos por hacer algo.

What traditions have you passed on in your family?

Most. Most everything is … we try, it is not easy, but we are always here. Day of the Dead is very strong. At Christmas we celebrate it in a different way. For example, on Three Kings Day, I do not know if you have heard it, on January 6, we always have to have a Three King’s cake and we also offer gifts to children. It’s very cool because it’s something you have with your family. We enjoyed it. And it has always been very traditional. It is always something that is done. And we’re eager to do something.