Middle school students from across North Carolina will address the universal challenge of water scarcity—while speaking entirely in Spanish—during Participate Learning’s Conexiones para la Acción Diplomática (CAD) in Greensboro on Tuesday, March 28.
More than 300 North Carolina middle school students and teachers will gather at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) for CAD, the showcase event for schools participating in Conexiones, a dual language program designed for middle schools by Participate Learning.
Students at Conexiones schools prepare for CAD by studying the year’s topic, devising potential solutions to the issue, and preparing to present and discuss their ideas in Spanish with the goal of reaching actionable resolutions.
“CAD brings together the central goals of Conexiones: enabling middle school students to grow in their Spanish proficiency while developing problem-solving skills that will prepare them for future success,” said Jason Straus, Conexiones product manager at Participate Learning.
In addition to the 16 North Carolina schools traveling to UNCG for the event, three schools will participate virtually, including one from Virginia and one from Bogotá, Colombia.
All participating students are assigned countries to represent during CAD. Each country faces unique challenges and opportunities related to water scarcity. Students have prepared opening statements to articulate their assigned country’s position. After the opening remarks, students will engage in “Ambassador Activity,” where they will discuss potential solutions in Spanish and work to reach resolutions during the final session.
The primary sessions begin at 12:40 p.m. in the University Auditorium within the Elliott University Center, following a variety of engaging activities starting at 10:30 a.m. in the Cone Ballroom, also located in the Elliott University Center.
Conexiones, developed by Participate Learning, is designed to support continued growth in Spanish language proficiency while preparing students for more rigorous academic work in high school. Currently, there are 33 Conexiones schools in North Carolina and Virginia, with additional schools planning to adopt the program in the 2023-24 school year.
One school planning to attend CAD is the International School at Gregory in Wilmington. Paola Weimann, a Participate Learning exchange teacher from Argentina, is bringing 32 students who have been preparing for months. As part of their preparation, the students visited their local water treatment facility to gain deeper insights into water management and challenges.
“The most rewarding part of Conexiones is that students have impactful learning experiences while developing a second language,” Weimann said.
