Spanish Lesson Comes to Life with Special Visitor

Students in Upper School Spanish teacher Antonio Amo’s Spanish V class recently wrapped up a unit studying the Cuban Revolution. While instructors at other schools might have offered a test and moved on to the next unit, Amo decided to leverage a special connection in his class to bring this unit to life and allow his students to speak with someone who lived during this historical period.

Senior Caroline Polsky’s grandmother, Virginia Morales de Navarrete, who was forced to flee Cuba while in her teens during the Cuban Revolution, offered to visit class and speak about her journey. Navarrete shared about her life in Cuba, hardships when fleeing the country and experience transitioning to a new life in the United States. A talented poet, Navarrete used her life and stories to write poems included in her published book Vida en verso and discussed them with the students.

Amo said, “It was a wonderful opportunity to have someone who lived in the Cuba of the Cuban Revolution and could talk with the students about living in the country and being forced to leave it. We are so grateful to Virginia Morales de Navarrete for taking the time to share her memories and poetry with the Spanish V class.”

Parker joins Amo in expressing thanks to Navarrete for taking time to speak with students. Her visit transformed this lesson on the Cuban Revolution from something written in black and white into something real and heartfelt.

Click here for photos from this visit.