By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DeVaughn Lowe, 16, (left), gets his name painted on his arm by Ashley Longmire, 13, at the Phoenix Community Learning Center. Students transformed their classrooms into festive celebrations of countries they were studying. DeVaughn and Ashley studied Brazil. The Cincinnati Enquirer/ERNEST COLEMAN

BOND HILL - Students at Phoenix Community Learning Center are spending part of this week eating crackers covered in guava paste, dancing the samba and getting their "passports" stamped.

This is no foreign field trip, though.

The school's 414 students have transformed their classrooms to resemble different countries, such as Brazil, Iraq, Mexico and Germany.

After a month of researching, they are showing off what they know about the countries' history, culture, cuisine, geography, currency and religion during a three-day cultural event. Some research came from the Internet and books, but students also spent time writing to foreign embassies to ask for information.

"Everything we're doing is built on the state standards," said the school's superintendent, Glenda Brown. "None of this is done just because it's fun."

But she admits that the students are having a good time and learning a lot.

On Thursday, Brown walked from room to room testing the students' knowledge.

After exchanging pleasantries of "Buenos dias," Brown bent over the kindergartners to ask them what they know about Cuba.

"The island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea," said 6-year-old Leah Demus.

"Havana is the capital of Cuba," 6-year-old Robert Davenport added.

Some students rattled off Spanish translations for the colors pink and brown while others explained that plantains, black beans and sweet potatoes are traditional foods in Cuba. They offered visitors coffee and crackers smeared with sweet red guava.

Meanwhile, in another classroom, eighth-graders invited guests into the forests, cafes and beaches of Brazil.

One corner of the room resembled a tropical rain forest. Twisted green vines hung from the ceiling while the sound of water trickled in the background. Students talked about animals found in Brazil, like anaconda snakes and spider monkeys.

At another corner, students demonstrated the samba and discussed Brazilian nightlife.

Eighth-grader Camron Scott, who wore a tall white chef's hat, took a break from dishing out a spicy Brazilian soup in front of a makeshift open-air market to tell visitors why he enjoyed the lesson.

"It's a lot better that learning from a book because you learn it the way the culture is," he said.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com