Summer challenge

Learning a new language can feel like a big challenge—but it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can do. I believe that learning Spanish not only helps you connect with more people, but also opens doors for future academic and career opportunities.

Over the last 2 years, I’ve seen how much students can grow when they put in the extra effort outside the classroom. One helpful tool that I used with my students is Duolingo, a free online platform that offers fun, game-like lessons in Spanish and many other languages. Although Duolingo is no longer used at St. Anne due to differences with our Catholic moral teachings, the results we saw from students who used it consistently were very encouraging.

Take one student, for example: she started using Duolingo in 7th grade with no previous experience in Spanish. She committed to working on it regularly (even over the summer), alongside her classwork. This year, she’s graduating and heading to Frassati Catholic High School—where she tested out of Spanish 1 and will be starting in Spanish 2! Her progress is a great example of what can happen when classroom learning is paired with self-directed effort.

There are many other platforms out there that offer similar benefits to Duolingo. Whether it’s Rosetta Stone, Babbel, Memrise, or others, the key is to find one that fits your family’s values and learning style. When used faithfully—even just 10–15 minutes a day—these tools can greatly improve your vocabulary, pronunciation, and overall confidence in Spanish.

So if you’re looking to sharpen your Spanish skills, explore some of these platforms and create a personal family account. The more you practice now, the more prepared students be for high school and beyond.

Remember: consistent effort, both in class and at home, makes all the difference.

¡Buena suerte!