Hello All,
This week we had two activities for our students, so they could explore more American Culture in Houston. One was a school field we took as a whole, and the other was an excursion led by Marlon Urbina, one of our excellent teachers.
I am sure Juneteeth is not a familiar holiday to many of you who are reading this, but here in Texas, it is a big deal. Which is why we wanted our students here at LCI Houston to learn the meaning of Juneteeth. Experiencing American culture is just as important as learning about it in a classroom, which is why we took a school field trip to the Holocaust Museum. In case you are wondering what Juneteenth is, allow me to briefly summarize. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth,” by the newly freed people in Texas. Sadly, slavery had ended two years prior, but Texas did not know until the union troops arrived on June 19th, 1865, and told them. Our students learned about American Culture and saw real artifacts that were left behind. Karina in level 7 said “It was too sad, I had to walk away.” Learning about the history of the people and the land can help give appreciation to the English Language. Teachers said the students were engaged and talking with one another about their findings in the museum, which made the administrative team proud.
Teacher Marlon Urbina had a great idea about leading an excursion to a Virtual Reality simulator activity. Before the students could begin, they were given instructions from the place of business on how to wear the headset and were given the rules that needed to be followed for safety reasons. After the rules were given by the instructor, the students could be seen smiling and experiencing a simulation of being in space. This was a great opportunity to apply the skills the students learned in the classroom and utilize them in everyday experiences and interactions with people in the community.
We are excited to share excursions and activities at LCI Houston, which helps to empower our students to be global citizens and community leaders. If you are ready to join us, I will say, it is worth it. The hardest part is inquiring about how to join our studies, but once you are here, you are family and will be treated like family. I say inquiring about how to join us is the hardest because of nerves and doubts. The process is very simple, it is the nerves that you must shake, and I will be here cheering you on. In the words of Walt Disney “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Thank you for reading, please feel free to comment below!
Written By:
Amy Andrade
Student Service Coordinator