Peruvian Consul General Yesica Fonseca Martínez visited multiple classrooms at Timpanogos Elementary to discuss her country's culture, geography, and everyday life, according to a September 28 report.
Students in the school's Spanish Dual Language Immersion program used their language skills to ask questions and listen to responses in Spanish, allowing them to learn about Peru and connect the information to their own surroundings.
During the visit, Fonseca Martínez described various aspects of Peruvian life, including fish eaten along the Pacific coast and potatoes native to the Andes. She also discussed how Chinese and Japanese immigration has influenced Peruvian cooking.
While explaining Peru's three natural regions—the coast, the Andes, and the Amazon—Fonseca Martínez compared the country's large mountains to those found in Utah. She also introduced students to local wildlife, such as pink river dolphins and llamas.
The visit supported district goals for dual language immersion, which focus on building language proficiency and preparing students to communicate across different cultural settings. The classroom exchanges provided Timpanogos students an opportunity to practice skills with a guest who could provide firsthand answers.
