EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Families at the El Paso Independent School District got a multilingual look at student innovation on Wednesday during a student-led Gifted & Talented expo showcasing the district\u2019s only language magnet program.<\/p>\n
Mesita Elementary hosted \u201cConnecting Worlds\/Mundos Unidos,\u201d a gifted-and-talented student-led experience, in which visitors were guided through STEM projects and STEAM exhibits using their English, Spanish, and Mandarin language skills. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo this is a celebration of academics, of social-emotional learning, of the whole child learning,\u201d Suzanne Moody, assistant principal of Mesita Elementary, told KFOX14\/CBS4. \u201cAnd you know, it’s really just a celebration of culture and learning about other cultures and celebrating that all of us are different.”<\/p>\n
The event spotlighted students’ work and showed how students use a trilingual English-Spanish-Mandarin education to tackle complex, real-world challenges. <\/p>\n
It also included cultural dances, student biographies, and science fair presentations. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis showcase is more than just a display of projects; it\u2019s a celebration of the unique intellectual and cultural journey our students embark on every day,\u201d said Laila Ferris, principal of Mesita Elementary. \u201cBy blending Gifted and Talented instructional strategies with trilingual immersion, we are equipping our scholars to be global thinkers. We invite the community to see how our students are solving problems today to become the leaders of tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
EPISD officials said the Connecting Worlds\/Mundos Unidos program begins at the early childhood level and continues through Wiggs Middle School and El Paso High School, drawing families from across the region seeking a rigorous, multicultural environment that prepares students for success in a global economy. <\/p>\n