“¿A utz a wach?” Maya Quiché spoken near campus

                   It seems that “¿A utz a wach?” or “How are you?” is an important phrase to know in St. Peter and its surrounding areas. As part of her internship at St. Peter High School, LALACS senior Andi Doebler ’14 (Spanish & LALACS) has been tutoring a Mayan student who speaks Spanish as a second language and on his way to learning English. The need for Andi to intern came after a conversation with the student’s teacher – Gustie grad Claudia Martínez ’13 (English). Martínez indicated what a fun challenge it has been to find translations of the course materials for the growing number of international and/or Latino students in high school classes. Thus far, the internship has been reciprocal in that the student furthers Andi’s linguistic and cultural knowledge of a language and an area that she loves. We are hopeful that this partnership with Martínez will continue.

The high school is not the only place where this type of interaction occurs. New Sweden Dairy has several Mayan employees who require a Mayan to Spanish interpreter and then a Spanish to English interpreter. Who knew that St. Peter and its surrounding rural areas were a place of such vast cultural wealth?!