Students from the University of Arkansas's Spanish Biliteracy and Translation Service-Learning courses helped ignite bilingual learning at the recent STEAM Fest at Walker Elementary School in Springdale. Through bilingual game-stations, translation challenges, and science-and-language activities, these undergraduates engaged elementary students and their families in both Spanish and English, promoting bilingualism and college pathways.

Many of the U of A students are involved in the outreach program Sin Límites – Biliteracy Project, where they mentor bilingual children and support heritage language maintenance. By bringing their mentorship and bilingual activities into a STEAM event, they demonstrated the power of language study to build academic confidence and connect bilingual families with university-level opportunities. 

This partnership reflects the university's commitment to service-learning, educational access, and multilingual futures. It also underscores how language and STEAM can work together to inspire both children and their families toward college and beyond.

If you are interested in furthering your Spanish and impacting the community, join us for two exciting Spanish-language courses this upcoming spring:

SPAN 38803 Translation & Interpretation Service-Learning — Gain hands-on experience translating and interpreting while making a difference in the Northwest Arkansas community.

SPAN 45803 Advanced Spanish for Health Professions — Develop your Spanish and cultural competence for work in health-care professional settings. 

Whether you're majoring or minoring in Spanish or simply want to enhance your bilingual skills and resume, these courses are ideal for real-world learning and community impact.

Check the Spring 2026 course listings and contact rcastros@uark.edu if you have any questions!