Eva Perón. Desi Arnaz. Roberto Clemente. 

The former First Lady of Argentina, the famous actor from the 1950s sitcom I Love Lucy, and the Major League Baseball Hall of Famer will be among the famous names featured as part of an art exhibit presented by Campus International School (CIS) fifth graders. The exhibit aims to bring the Spanish language into the school and community while raising awareness about Hispanic culture.

A Celebration and Reflection on Influential Latinos and Latinas throughout Modern History is being presented by CIS in collaboration with Cleveland State University’s (CSU) Levin College of Public Affairs and Education and its School of Education and Counseling (SEC) now through March 30 in the Thomas F. Campbell, Ph.D. Exhibition Gallery on the first floor of Glickman-Miller Hall (1717 Euclid Avenue). The exhibit is free and open to the public. 

CIS, an International Baccalaureate K-8 school developed by CSU and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, is presenting a cultural art exhibit for the third time. The previous exhibits featured second and third graders honoring the Day of the Dead while kindergarten and first graders celebrated Chinese New Year with art focused on dragons. This time, it’s the fifth graders taking center stage. 

“All students learn Spanish at Campus International,” said Cindy Berkland, in her third-year teaching K-5 Spanish at CIS. “They study Spanish all the way through eighth grade. Language is a huge piece of the curriculum here.” 

All fifth-grade students were given a specific piece of art. Working in groups of four, the students researched and colored historical figures. When all the artwork is pieced together it composes an incredible mural of 25 portraits featuring influential Spanish figures in modern history. 

The fifth graders from CIS didn’t stop there. Each portrait from the mural includes a QR code that can be scanned to hear the students speaking Spanish in the voice of the historical figure from their artwork. English translations are provided as well. 

“Since Cindy is the PYP/K-5 Spanish Teacher at CIS, we wanted to involve the students in a project-based approach to learning,” said Sharon Swan, Visiting Professor of Practice, P-5 Education, and Faculty in Residence at CIS. “Specifically, we like to focus our exhibits on a multicultural and interactive event that would bring Hispanic culture/heritage awareness to both the CIS school community as well as the CSU community where knowledge and awareness come together to celebrate and appreciate the culture.” 

Anyone who attends the exhibit will also have the chance for a unique photo opportunity. Each student colored a flag to represent all the countries that communicate and connect through the Spanish language. The flags were then organized to create a pair of wings that will serve as a backdrop for community members to take pictures. 

“Project-based learning/teaching is an effective method for learning information for the long-term and the hope is that the students learn about the famous person and enjoy the experience,” continued Swan. “For my CSU students (pre-service P-5 education teachers), my hope is to expose them to see how project-based learning/teaching is implemented first-hand and how it brings learning to life!”