Monday, November 29, 1999
A bit of the world in Butler Co.
Lakota YMCA preschoolers learn Spanish
BY ANNA GUIDO
Enquirer Contributor
Spanish instructor Maria Aull uses flash cards to teach a group of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds at the Lakota YMCA.
(Michael Snyder photo)
| ZOOM |
|
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP — Most American 4-year-olds can pick out colors, give you a hearty greeting and count to 10. But at the Crayon Club, they can do it in English or Spanish.
At the Lakota YMCA's preschool, a handful of students are learning the basics of Spanish along with their lessons in English.
The YMCA began teaching Spanish to preschoolers in September. About half of the 24 students enrolled at the Crayon Club take the once-a-week, one-hour class taught by Maria Aull.
Alexis Ostrander, 4, of West Chester, is among them. “I can say my name,” she said, while hopping up and down. “Hola, me llamo Alexis. Hola, me llamo Alexis.”
There is no extra charge for the class, which is optional.
“I think it's great because kids learn quicker when they're younger,” said Brenda Ostrander, Alexis' mother.
Student Maria Rojas of Liberty Township will be 5 on Dec. 12. “I can count to 11,” she said. “Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once. I also know some colors,” Maria said.
Amy Jeske, director of the Crayon Club, said the benefits of teaching preschoolers a second language are countless.
“It not only teaches them language, it teaches them culture and it enhances their language skills overall,” she said.
Mrs. Jeske said she is certain no other preschools in the area are teaching their young students Spanish, but she hopes it will become common practice.
“Other countries teach kids foreign language in the first grade,” she said. “And by the year 2004, there will be as many Spanish-speaking Americans as English-speaking Americans in the United States.”
The Lakota YMCA, at 6703 Yankee Road, opened in 1993. Its membership is now about 700, Executive Director John Schaller said.
Officials eventually want to double the size of the 6-year-old facility to more than 100,000 square feet.
The Lakota Y now has an outdoor swimming pool, climbing wall and roller hockey arena, a gymnasium, weight room, racquetball courts and office and meeting space. Plans include a larger outdoor swimming pool, a second-floor running track in the gym, and more meeting space for a senior citizen cen ter and game room.
Membership needs to reach about 1,000 before the new swimming pool — estimated to cost $1.5 million — can be built.
“The dust is just now settling on our last project,” Mr. Schaller said. “But we are starting to look at where we want to go next.”
Adult businesses moving to 'burbs
Flynt keeps coming back to Tristate
Path to grandma's was clear
Name Braun a Great Living Cinicinnatian
Beautiful church celebrates 75 years
Boone advised to add parks, pool
Mason students may attend funeral
Price Hill man killed in fire
Solstice performers maintain traditions
Targeted schools making progress
A bit of the world in Butler Co.
Church school has faith in future
War over turf now tax fight
Home for disabled built as example
Lawmaker targets bad septic systems in efforts to save farmland
Residents of housing project are sister's family
Student orchestra concert today
GET TO IT
Holiday TV schedule
TRISTATE DIGEST
