Alumna mentor teacher, Laura Koebel, was awarded a CLP grant to implement a three-part project designed to promote the Arabic program at Plymouth High School, inform others about Arabic culture and language, and provide support to current Arabic students.
In part one of the project, students hosted a culture and language fair at Plymouth High School. The objective of the fair was to increase awareness and interest in the Arabic program in order to ensure success and program continuation. The fair evolved into a language fair featuring all of the school's languages, however Arab culture remained the primary focus. Attendees learned how to write their names in Arabic and in hieroglyphics, received henna tattoos, and tried Kosherie, a traditional Egyptian dish. Musicians from Palestine also gave a drum performance and discussed stereotypes about the Arab world.
For the second part of the project, Plymouth High School invited a second-year Arabic student to speak with students about the benefits of learning the Arabic and opportunities for future study. The class enjoyed falafel and baba ganoush as a taste of traditional cuisine and students were encouraged and inspired by the guest’s comments.
The final part of the project was intended supplement the school's tutor fund for conversation coaches from University of Wisconsin- Madison. Plymouth High School partnered with UW-Madison Arabic students to act as conversation coaches and tutors throughout the year. The objective was to give the students communication practice and time to ask questions about content studied. Students met through Skype with tutors from the UW-Madison Language Institute on a weekly basis.