Bilingual connections
Laughter fills the shuttle bus as students in David Giancaspro’s Spanish for Heritage Speakers class catch up and travel to Broad Rock Elementary School in Richmond’s Southside.
They all grew up speaking Spanish at home during childhood and are mentoring elementary students who didn't know much or any English when they started school.
When they arrive at Broad Rock, a Richmond Public School which was built in 2010 and currently serves approximately 700 students, they sign in at the front desk and make their way to University of Richmond alumna Cassie Elston’s first grade class.
"My students' early educational experiences allow them to understand first-hand the difficulties that their mentees are facing in school," Giancaspro said.
At Mrs. Elston’s classroom door, the first graders rush to meet their mentors, and together, they walk to a light-filled cafeteria for a 30-minute session.
"This school year marks the third year of partnership with Dr. Giancaspro's students and our first grade team," said Rachel Arrowsmith, Communities in Schools of Richmond's site coordinator at Broad Rock. "Having a bilingual mentor creates a safe, supportive space where first graders can feel seen, heard, valued, and encouraged as they learn and grow."
Nancy Barraza plays games with her mentee and asks him questions about his week.
"What I've enjoyed most about volunteering at Broad Rock is the personal connection I've developed with my student," Barraza said. "Being able to play a small but meaningful role in a child's life has been incredibly rewarding."
Broad Rock Elementary School has a dual-immersion program, so some mentors are working with students who receive a truly bilingual education.
"Not only do my students get to see what bilingual education looks like, they also get to reflect on their own educational experiences and the resources that they had or did not have," Giancaspro said.
This reflection in the classroom is a critical element of community-based learning courses like Spanish for Heritage Speakers.
"Faculty who teach community-based learning courses design reflection assignments that weave academic content with community experiences, helping students discover their own assumptions and deepen their understanding," said Terry Dolson, senior associate director for community-engaged learning with the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE).
The CCE provides support for faculty in designing these reflection assignments, as well as grants for transportation, supplies, and honoraria for guest speakers.
"My students’ mentoring experiences at Broad Rock enrich our classroom discussion of bilingual education, race and racism, and many other cornerstone topics of my Spanish for Heritage Speakers course," Giancaspro said.