Tappan Zee High School

Three Tappan Zee High School seniors will be putting Spanish language skills they’ve developed over the past six years to work after graduation.

Inspired by travel slideshows TZHS Spanish Teacher Claudia Arietta shares with her students, Vilnis Puris is taking a gap year in South America, before attending Skidmore College in Fall 2019. “I’ll be staying with a family in Ecuador and then hope to spend some time in Buenos Aires,” he said. Vilnis grew up speaking both English and Latvian and has a passion for languages. After studying at the Simon Bolivar Spanish School in Quito next year, he plans to study French or German in college. “Being able to speak multiple languages is a competitive advantage in an increasingly globalized job market,” he noted.

“Our country is becoming more diverse,” added Kayla McKiernan, who plans to double-major in Journalism and Spanish at Binghamton University, and is president of the Spanish Honor Society. Tutoring TZHS peers who are new to the English language and her own career interests fueled Kayla’s decision. “Forming relationships with the students that I tutored–their language, culture and stories resonated with me,” she explained. “I’m also interested in sports journalism and the Dominican Republic is a key location for professional baseball.”

Kirsten Ranieri was a reluctant Spanish language student, at first. “In sixth-grade, I didn’t want to take Spanish,” she recalled. “But Ms. Moloney got me into enjoying the language.” At TZHS, Kirsten became interested in teaching, which she explored through her Senior Seminar placement in Cottage Lane Elementary School Fifth-Grade Teacher Bill McAuliffe’s class. “I knew I wanted to major in Childhood Education, but wasn’t sure which concentration area would be best,” she said. “I had an opportunity to work with ELL (English Language Learner) students at Cottage Lane and Mr. McAuliffe encouraged me to do a Spanish concentration.” Kirsten is headed to SUNY New Paltz this fall.

Being able to speak Spanish is a valuable skill for daily life, whether for connecting with classmates or, in Kirsten’s case, helping customers at her job at the mall. “Focus on the language from a young age, and keep working on it,” she advised middle school students. Kayla speaks Spanish with her younger brother at home, to practice. “Don’t give up on the language,” she counseled. “It’ll be useful.”

Three students giving thumbs-up in front of World Language mural

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