LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some Kentucky students are learning about the world without leaving the classroom.
In Vince Barker’s fifth-grade Cultural Connections class at St. Nicholas Academy, 10 students speak another language when they are at home.
Barker has taught around the world, including in Ukraine, China and Cambodia.
“We have a school that’s quite diverse, and it’s a lot of differences. And however, there can be misunderstandings because of those differences or conflicts within those differences. It’s just raising in awareness and understanding of each other as the fellow classmates,” Barker said.
The 240 students at St. Nicholas Academy represent about 40 cultures from around the world.
Principal Chantel Jaso suggested the idea for the Cultural Connections class to help students connect with their classmates and to learn about where they come from.
Before this school year, the students took a Spanish class. But she said many students were struggling because they were also speaking another language at home. “It was really important to us for our students to have pride in who they are and where they come from but also to learn about other cultures,” Jaso said.
Fifth grader Shae Haynes said he enjoys learning about his classmates’ heritage.
“I like learning about other people. Because I like making friends and not being left out in class. The class is great. This kind of makes it easier to connect with your classmates,” Haynes said.
Barker hopes the class will help students long after they graduate.
“I would like for this class to be somewhat of a representation of what they’re going to face and see in the modern world,” Barker said.
Jaso added St. Nicholas Academy is the most diverse school in the Archdiocese of Louisville.
St. Nicholas Academy is open for students in Pre-K to eighth grade.