Feliz en la comunidad, founded in 2014, is a service-learning program that allows students enrolled in SPAN 220, SPAN 240, SPAN260 and SPAN270 to work with various K-12 schools in the greater Los Angeles area. Through this program, students practice their Spanish, teaching, and leadership skills while increasing their involvement in Los Angeles’ culturally and socially diverse neighborhoods.
Partner Schools:
- CalCreative https://calcreative.org/
- Larchmont Charter School LFP campus https://www.larchmontcharter.org/lfp-campus
- USC Hybrid High https://www.ednovate.org/hybrid
- Hollywood High https://www.hollywoodhighschool.net/
With the guidance of the program directors’ participants engage in activities such as, but not limited to:
- preparing and conducting brief classes in Spanish for elementary or high-school students.
- preparing supplementary Spanish activities for elementary or high-school teachers.
- assisting elementary or high-school Spanish instructors in the classroom
- completing reflection sessions about their service-learning experience.
An unforgettable experience
Participating in Feliz en la Comunidad was such an unforgettable experience. It was so meaningful to enter local classrooms and give teachers some much-needed support, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it was a lot of fun to spend time with students, help them with their Spanish, and create ways for a more interactive learning experience. By discussing college life and fielding questions about college admissions with students, I hope that my work as a volunteer with Feliz en la Comunidad might inspire more students to pursue a degree in higher education. Out of my four years at USC, Feliz is one of my favorite memories as it forced me to think about my positionality as a USC student in Los Angeles and allowed me to make a positive impact on the local community.