Jan. 14. 2024
By Rebecca Ruiz
Staff Writer
Twenty-four students in Señora Rojas’ Spanish II Honors class and six students from Ms. Silvelo’s Spanish I class traveled to Union City on Dec. 8 to participate in a day-long scavenger hunt activity. Their adventure led them to various sites on Bergenline Ave., also known as the “Miracle Mile,” which is a center for Hispanic culture.
The field trip, which was organized by Rojas, included stops at various retail and chain stores.
The students started their day with a breakfast selection that included bacon, churros, eggs, empanadas and hot chocolate at the restaurant La Churreria. Then, the students walked down Bergenline Ave., stopping at a clothing store called Rainbow and a spiritual store called Botanica La Milagrosa. They ended their day back in La Churreria for lunch, where students ordered items including Cuban sandwiches, rice and strawberry milkshakes before returning to LHS.
Rojas said the field trip gave students the chance to use their language skills to communicate with the community.
“The goal of this trip [was for students] to learn about different Spanish-speaking cultures and gain real-world experiences that they would not find in their textbook,” Rojas said.
Rojas said she looks forward to taking her students on this field trip every year.
“It is a great opportunity for students to gain new experiences outside of their familiar neighborhoods,” Rojas said.
She said while the field trip taught her students a lot about the Spanish language and culture, it taught her a lot about her students.
“I have a wonderful bunch of students who are polite and respectful, and I will miss them very much next year,” Rojas said.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to see and experience a culture that was similar enough to my own but not quite the same.”
Freshman Serenity Mendoza, who is in Spanish II Honors, said this was one of the best field trips she has been on.
“It was different [from] other class field trips in a cultural aspect. Most school trips I have been on were for a fun reward,” Mendoza said. “The goal was to experience the climate and culture. We expanded our [horizons], which was refreshing.”
Mendoza is of Dominican, Peruvian and Puerto Rican descent, which she said helped add to her enjoyment of the trip.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to see and experience a culture that was similar enough to my own but not quite the same,” Mendoza said.
She said she would like to go on another field trip with her Spanish class in the future.
Students explored stores and practiced their Spanish during a scavenger hunt activity along Bergenline Ave.
“Another place to learn about Latin American culture would be Jersey City. Similar to Union City, there are many different cultural restaurants and shops all around,” Mendoza said.
Sophomore Luca Riccio, who is in Spanish II Honors, also said the field trip was worthwhile.
“The trip really helped me comprehend Spanish better by breaking down words I know and using context clues to understand it,” Riccio said. “In class, you can get help from your teacher or classmates, but on the trip you were forced to try your best.”
Riccio said he appreciated the independence students were given during the field trip.
“Our group was allowed to go ahead to different stores instead of staying close on one track,” Riccio said.
Sophomore Kesiah Boyd, who is in Spanish II Honors, said she enjoyed the field trip because she learned more about Hispanic culture.
“I got to see the difference between different ethnicities, like the difference between a Dominican food place and a Colombian food place,” Boyd said.
Boyd said she liked the friendly atmosphere on the streets.
“Everyone is very nice, and it’s a tight-knit town. When going into different stores and speaking to the workers, everyone was super sweet to me and to their co-workers,” Boyd said. “Even on the street, I would [see] people together, and it seemed like everyone knew each other like a family.”
Boyd said it was nice to go on a field trip that was an excursion without a specific destination.
“It was so real and raw,” Boyd said. “[When you visit Bergenline Ave.], you’re going to an everyday town and actually seeing how people live in their everyday lives.”
