9th Grade South America Presentation

This Thursday, November 2, the ninth-grade class of St Patrick Catholic High School gathered in the auditorium for a special guest. The students were provided a first-person presentation on South America’s history and culture.  Mrs. Cooper, a parent of a St Patrick alumnus, came to campus to expose the ninth graders to a wider world outside of Mississippi.  A native of the country of Columbia, Mrs. Cooper provided a window into another life and place.
The presentation began with Mrs. Cooper asking the freshmen if any of them could speak another language. Many of the freshmen raised their hands to indicate that they could.  Mrs. Cooper then tested them on their competency in their second language.  She stressed the importance of knowing another language and how beneficial it could be to their futures. Mrs. Cooper then talked about her home country of Columbia. She mentioned it’s fascinating history, and how this culture shaped her into the women she is today.  She discussed the geographic area where she grew up, and also how she was raised in this area. Finally, she talked about the geography of Columbia as well as other parts of South America.
This presentation exposed the freshmen students to a unique and different life experience. This lecture and other ones like it at St Patrick provide a diverse and expansive view of the world for our students.  A huge thank you goes out to Mrs. Cooper for visiting Saint Patrick and sharing her story and life experience with us.

Story by Jamie Stanovich