Spanish teacher and Christian Service Coordinator Mrs. Kimberly Wright doesn’t stop teaching in the classroom. This past summer, she taught English to Peruvian exchange workers on a local farm.
Wright established a connection with the Peruvians through her local CSA program, a farm called Two Gander where she picks up fresh produce.
“I got involved because they were talking about the program and said that [the Peruvians] were interested in learning some basic phrases in Spanish, and I said how about we teach them English too?” Wright said.
According to Wright, the Peruvians are in the U.S. on a one year VISA to work on a farm. They pay a fee for this program, and they also get wages within limits.
For three days a week, Wright visited the farm to teach basic phrases and words in English to the Peruvians during their lunch break. They worked every day except Sunday, where they ventured on trips such as to the beach or lakes.
Three Peruvian men in their early twenties worked on the Two Gander Farm, according to Wright. Two of those men were brothers. The two brothers have a sister who is also visiting the U.S. but a different farm, and another brother who unfortunately passed away from a fever.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]
“There’s just so much cooperation and teamwork between the teachers, and between the teachers and the students. I think this year I’m just getting a real feeling of unity.”
-Mrs. Kimberly Wright
[/perfectpullquote]
“Their medical care there just isn’t like ours,” Wright said. “It was a bit of a shock to see how that just happened, to a 12 year old.”
Every day at 4 a.m., the Peruvians alternated one person to get up and make lunch, according to Wright.
“A couple of days I told the person who is making lunch today can sleep in, because I’m going to bring lunch.” Wright said. “So I took frittatas or egg salad sandwiches so they didn’t have to get up quite so early.”
In addition, she helped the owners of the farm with medical and insurance issues with translations and advice. Wright still goes to the farm every Sunday where two of the Peruvians are still working to check up.
“I really admire what the owners of the CSA farms are doing and how many sacrifices they are making for other people, so I try to help when I can,” Wright said.
This is her first time ever doing this, and she plans to continue doing it throughout the years. She also hopes to get some students involved in what she thinks will be an amazing experience.
Wright also spent some time this summer visiting her son in Minneapolis. “My son is loving it there. He works for an immigration law firm, a law firm that specializes in immigration laws so he’s working with a lot of immigrants also,” she said. “Seems to be a family theme.”
Wright also described how she is excited for the upcoming school year with changes bringing in more project-based learning. “I have yet to reuse any lesson plans.. I wish I could but it isn’t possible because each year we are doing something different,” she said.
Wright also is on the twelfth grade team as a Christian Service Coordinator, and loves not just how the students work together, but how the students and teachers are working so well as a team.
“I’m really enjoying working with the Christian Service groups, it’s a really nice addition to my job description,” she said.
“There’s just so much cooperation and teamwork between the teachers, and between the teachers and the students. I think this year I’m just getting a real feeling of unity,” she said.
Check out Sra. Wright’s Top Ten Favorite Songs:
