Young Little Rock Students with a World View
By: Jessica Dean, KARK 4 News
Updated: December 19, 2012
When you walk the halls of Gibbs Magnet School of International Studies
in Little Rock, you'll likely be greeted with "hola" or "bonjour." The
young students are mastering foreign languages by the time they complete
the fifth grade.
"They have a 30 minute class session everyday, five days a week in French, Spanish or German," explained long-time principal Felicia Hobbs.
For students, that schedule makes school bueno.
"I like that in foreign language we do all these different activities and whatever Madame Hamilton teaches is fun and interesting," said Pearson Hardin, a third grader studying French.
The lesson are all hands-on. From songs to games, students interact with their teacher and classmates while speaking their chosen language.
"I like how I get to learn animal words and food words, like pimentos, which are peppers," said third grader Joshua Johnson, who studies Spanish.
But the students are learning even more than vocabulary words and verbs.
"One of the things here woven into the school is the need to serve others, the need to get to know others and not just tolerate, but accept other people," said Hobbs.
As their skills grow, so do their dreams for using them.
"I hope I can go to the Eiffel Tower and I want to go all the way to the tippy top," explained third grader Xavier Parker.
"I would like for Father's Day, my dad's favorite team is Barcelona, and I would like to take him to Spain and meet some Barcelona people," said third grader Skylar Nelsen.
They're proving what you learn in school really can come in handy when you grow up.
"They have a 30 minute class session everyday, five days a week in French, Spanish or German," explained long-time principal Felicia Hobbs.
For students, that schedule makes school bueno.
"I like that in foreign language we do all these different activities and whatever Madame Hamilton teaches is fun and interesting," said Pearson Hardin, a third grader studying French.
The lesson are all hands-on. From songs to games, students interact with their teacher and classmates while speaking their chosen language.
"I like how I get to learn animal words and food words, like pimentos, which are peppers," said third grader Joshua Johnson, who studies Spanish.
But the students are learning even more than vocabulary words and verbs.
"One of the things here woven into the school is the need to serve others, the need to get to know others and not just tolerate, but accept other people," said Hobbs.
As their skills grow, so do their dreams for using them.
"I hope I can go to the Eiffel Tower and I want to go all the way to the tippy top," explained third grader Xavier Parker.
"I would like for Father's Day, my dad's favorite team is Barcelona, and I would like to take him to Spain and meet some Barcelona people," said third grader Skylar Nelsen.
They're proving what you learn in school really can come in handy when you grow up.
