Having served native Spanish-speaking students for many years now, La Escuelita Para Todos helps students communicate in Spanish through weekly two-hour Saturday classes at the Monroe County Public Library.
For the upcoming spring semester, Daniel Soto, principal of La Escuelita Para Todos, said he hopes to have IU student volunteer so La Escuelita students can be connected with other people who are aware of their cultures.
The call-out meeting for IU students wanting to volunteer is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday Dec. 12 at the Monroe County Public Library in room 2A.
“The important thing is to allow them to be proud of where they come from,” Soto said.
More than just art and music, he said IU student volunteers would open up a whole new world because La Escuelita students can engage with others who may be from the same or similar places to connect with their cultures.
"Just because we are Latinos does not mean we are one group of people,” Soto said.
While there is a range of students with different geographic and cultural backgrounds, there is also a range of participant academic levels.
Raquel Anderson, IU professor and a supervisor for La Escuelita Para Todos, said that while the first semester is much more academic-based, the second semester is culturally focused, but academics are also included.
Because the second semester includes both academics and culture, Anderson said IU student volunteers will go through training since not everyone has experience with teaching.
“We’re hoping to have volunteers that have the commitment to do it every Saturday,” Anderson said. “I know it’s hard, but it’s worth it.”
