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Natasha Leland

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Kelsey Pavelka reads with students in her class April 16, 2021, in West View Elementary School. Pavelka is a teacher in the Dual Language Immersion Program, which teaches students Spanish and English simultaneously to foster early language development. Andy Klotz, Photo Provided
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West View Elementary School teaches students English and Spanish at the same time

By Natasha Leland / April 22, 2021

Vibrant colors of orange, yellow, green and red cover the walls from floor to ceiling in forms of flags, posters and papel picados. Cubbies line the walls and desks are spread out like a typical elementary school classroom, but, sticking true to the program, there are hardly any English words displayed. Instead, they are replaced by a buzz of activity from the teacher reading in Spanish to the excited chatter of the students. This is what it’s like to walk into Kelsey Pavelka’s elementary dual language immersion classroom.

The YWCA of Central Indiana houses women and children who need a place to live in its emergency shelter program, Jan. 26, 2021, in Muncie. WaTasha Barnes Griffin, CEO of the Central Indiana YWCA, said all of its programs aim to empower women. Jaden Whiteman, DN File
NEWS

Local shelter leaders share goals for women empowerment

By Natasha Leland / March 23, 2021

In elementary school, she wanted to be a fashion designer — one who would help her friends make decisions on what to wear or provide them with clothing items for free. “Help” is the key word. Drawing clothes was fun, but WaTasha Barnes Griffin really wanted to help people for a living — she just didn’t know it could be a specific career. That was, until fifth grade, when a class speaker called it “social work.”

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