Fifth grade students from West End Elementary School kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month with a special research project during their library periods. Guided by library media specialist Jacqueline Ryf, students recently used their laptops to go on a virtual journey through nine different Hispanic communities in the country.

The virtual tours were through Google Arts and Culture. The fifth graders had fun exploring and interacting with the different locations which ranged from California to Illinois. Ms. Ryf challenged the students to observe the surroundings and point out examples of Hispanic culture. The fifth graders found colorful artwork, Spanish architecture and ties to community as they visited the different spots.

During the next few weeks, the fifth graders will continue their Hispanic Heritage Month lesson and together, with the peers at their table, they will pick one of the nine Hispanic communities to research further. The students will serve as travel agents for their specific location and create advertisement posters promoting their Hispanic community and what they learned about it. By the end of the research project, students will have a better understanding of Hispanic culture and the world around them.