Community-Engaged Teaching Grant: SPAN 2003
By: Kathleen Guerra, Spanish Language, Literary & Cultural Studies
During the 2023-2024 academic year, I received a Community-Engaged Teaching grant from CCESL to support service-learning projects in all sections of our SPAN 2003 course. As always, the CCESL grant enabled me, as a representative of DU, to directly impact and support the important community-engaged work our students do. And, more importantly, the grant allowed us to help support and build the work of our community partners.
In more specific terms, our SPAN 2003 courses during Winter and Spring terms (6 sections in total) partnered with We Don’t Waste, a non-profit dedicated to reducing food waste and distributing goods to the community at no cost. Each 2003 student participated in at least one 4-hour volunteer session where they were asked to help with intake forms in English or Spanish, interact with community members in Spanish and English, distribute goods and assist other volunteers and WDW staff with the functioning of the market. The CCESL grant allowed us to purchase much-needed supplies for these markets that are used by all participants and volunteers, such as a new tent, gloves, handwarmers, and even hot cocoa mix (all especially helpful during the winter months!). Partnerships like these go a long way to build communities and connect all learners to the language in an engaging way. In fact, some students were so inspired by their experience that they continued to volunteer with the program and marvel at their ability to comfortably use the language in the community. Without the help of the CCESL grant, we would not have been able to contribute to the growth of the program and these important community-building events.
Our ongoing collaborations with these organizations are fundamental to connecting our students with communities just outside the walls of DU. This helps center the idea that Spanish is a local language, not just an academic subject. It is my hope that with the help of CCESL, we can continue to support these collaborations and help our communities thrive! Thank you, CCESL!