Kearney, Mo., December 4, 2024: A great education can start by learning that a German dog says, “wau wau.”
A group of foreign language students from Kearney High School visited classrooms at all four Kearney School District elementary schools today. The teens led 20-minute lessons in Spanish and German for the younger students.
Beth Pickle’s second graders at Kearney Elementary learned about how Christmas is celebrated in Spain and then sang the traditional “Feliz Navidad” song in Spanish; that was followed by a lesson on the names of various animals in German and how they sound in that language. Similar scenes played out at Hawthorne, Dogwood and Southview elementary schools.
This “sociocultural project” was conceived of by KHS foreign language teachers Stacey Getz and Brittini Starzl as a creative way to help their students earn a Seal of Biliteracy when they graduate, according to KSD Career Readiness Coordinator Stacy Holtzclaw.
“In the past, our students have completed essays as part of the process of qualifying for the Seal of Biliteracy,” Mrs. Holtzclaw said. “This year, instead, they did cultural research, developed lesson plans and visited the elementary schools to share their knowledge with those students.”
The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, school district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation, according to the coalition that created the program. The goal is to help students recognize the value of their academic success and see the tangible benefits of being bilingual.
A Seal of Biliteracy is a valuable credential for students as they pursue their college and career goals. It is considered a Market Value Asset (MVA) under Kearney School District’s Real World Learning initiative; all graduates will be required to have an MVA to graduate starting with the Class of 2025.
In addition, a number of colleges, universities and businesses offer incentives for students who have earned the seal. At Missouri State University, for instance, students with the seal can earn foreign language credits without having to take those classes.
Having the high school students teach at the elementary schools also helps nurture interest in studying foreign languages among younger classes, Holtzclaw added, and aligns with KSD’s goal to foster future public educators.
