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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miami Dade College’s Honors College Dual Language Students and United WAG at Edison Park Elementary School

Under the guidance of their professor and advisor, Yvette Lujan, MDC Honors College Dual Language students have joined forces with United Wag to help teach three of the nine Character Education components. The endeavor is part of MDC students’ Service Learning project at Edison Park Elementary School. “It has turned into a wonderful Service Learning opportunity incorporating the needs of our students, the non-profit United WAG organization, and M-DCPS Edison Park Elementary School. This project has proven beneficial to all. We are proud of the work our Honors College Dual Language students and Professor Yvette Lujan have put into this initiative,” stated Michaela Tomova, Chairperson of the Communication, Arts, & Philosophy Department at the InterAmerican Campus.

United WAG is a non-profit organization striving to improve the welfare of animals through education, advocacy, and coordination of community efforts. Miami Dade College Honors College Dual Language students were looking into implementing Service Learning projects and teamed up with Edison Park Elementary, an inner city school with administrators and teachers dedicated to providing a comprehensive education.

While working with M-DCPS’s Division of Social Sciences, United WAG’s staff developed a series of lesson plans for grades K-8 and aligned those with the nine Character Education components addressing animal welfare.  These lessons, in their entirety, can be found at www.unitedwag.org.

Fifteen Miami Dade College Honors College Dual Language students, under the guidance of Professor Yvette Lujan, identified three lessons to be presented to elementary school students.  They worked with staff from United WAG to learn the skills of delivery and interaction they needed to work with elementary students.

Administrators at Edison Park Elementary School created a schedule that allows the Honors College Dual Language students to go into the classroom in teams of two and give 30 minute rigorous presentations. 

Professor Lujan shared, “On the last day of their presentations, our students will distribute bags of goodies to the children. The Honors College Dual Language Program has donated pens, paper, and bags to package the goodies. A big thank you to Ms. Jennifer Bravo, Director of the Honors College Dual Language Dual Language Program housed at the InterAmerican Campus, who secured donated educational supplies.  As a surprise to our Service Learning students and in addition to their 30 hours of Service Learning, United WAG will award two $250 scholarships to two very deserving students, and Edison Park Elementary School will present thank you letters to all of the Service Learning students. I am very proud of the work of these students.”

Congratulations to everyone for a job well done.

For more information about this event, contact Ms. Michaela Tomova, Chairperson Communications, Arts, and Philosophy (305) 237-6049.