In honor of Lena Whitmore Elementary School’s international week, 20 international students from the University of Idaho gave presentations about their home countries to various classrooms.
“Childhood is extremely vital, and so often traditions and cultures are not reflected on. I wanted students to experience thinking about their roots and share with children who are in developmental stages,” said Denise “Glen” Kauffman, coordinator of the International Friendship Association.
The presentations were student-driven and created. Interested students signed up with Kauffman and prepared presentations about their country of origin. Students presented traditional games, language, and cultural traditions to each classroom they visited.
Audin Enot Centeno Torrez, a student studying through the Scholarships for Education and Economic Development program, spoke of his home country Nicaragua.
“I started by introducing the country, but the kids had so many questions. They asked what the flag meant, the location of Nicaragua, how I grew up, and even what the national beer was,” Torrez said.
After answering questions, Torrez taught simple words and phrases in Spanish. Even after his presentation, the students’ curiosity continued to blossom, he said.
Carlos Ruiz, a student also studying through the SEED program, presented El Salvador. He described the basics of living in a tropical environment.
“I talked about the warm and humid weather in El Salvador. When I first came to Moscow in the summer, I was incredibly cold.” Ruiz said.
He then showed pictures of his house, introduced his family, and brought pictures of various sights in the country.
“The enthusiasm was great,” Ruiz said. “The kids loved what I had to say. One even asked to travel in my suitcase with me back home.”
Markus Geiger, a senior at UI, presented his home country of Germany in a slideshow.
“I made this presentation interactive,” Geiger said. “I tested the students’ knowledge, asking if they knew of any German cars or candy. I was always posing questions, keeping them as engaged as possible.”
With the help of Diana Rosslerova, another international UI student, Geiger taught the German version of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” to the class. Afterward, Rosslerova told a classic German Christmas story to capture the children’s interest.
“Everyone was enthralled. They were energetic and were not afraid to ask questions,” Geiger said. “It made everything so much fun.”
The International Friendship Association plans to have more students present at Westpark Elementary School in the spring.