Leah Kulma, '23, continues work with bilingual elementary students despite pandemic

March 12, 2021

Leah Kulma, ’23, is among three University of Richmond students who developed a Spanish video reading project to continue their work with bilingual elementary learners in local schools during the pandemic.

The project, Lecturas para estudiantes bilingües, provides free access to an interactive bilingual education for students that is easily accessible at home. Under the guidance of their Spanish professor, Dr. Karina Vazquez, the students created videos of book readings in both Spanish and English with interactive questions to keep students engaged.

The three students — Kulma, Lindsey Bernard, ’22, and Olivia Vandervelden, ’23 — wanted to continue working in Vazquez’s Spanish Community-Based Learning Program despite pandemic-related restrictions on face-to-face learning. In the project description, the three describe the project’s origins.

“We are three students at the University of Richmond who love languages and working with bilingual students,” they wrote. “When COVID-19 interrupted our work with bilingual students at elementary schools, we wanted to think of a way to continue helping the bilingual community from home.”

Kulma is majoring in Spanish and minoring in education, earning comprehensive Spanish language licensure in the Education department.