In Washington Heights, Students Greet Spanish Queen With Selfies and Song

At Dos Puentes Elementary in Washington Heights on Monday, first graders sang a stirring rendition of "Let it Go" in Spanish, and eighth graders took selfies with Queen Letizia of Spain.

Queen Letizia presided over the signing of four New York City schools into International Spanish Academies (ISA), a prestigious network of Spanish immersion programs in the United States and Canada. Dos Puentes, along with Southampton Intermediate, Dual Language Middle School M247 and The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology PS103 were signed onto the network. Dos Puentes Principal Victoria Hunt said the network will offer the schools resources and opportunities for exchange. 

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, whose parents were born in Spain, said there's an increasing demand for language immersion schools in the city, mostly in Spanish, French, Arabic and Mandarin. She says it's part of having a global economy — in international business, if you want to "clinch the deal," she said, having a second language is key for these future leaders.

Eighth Grader Kasia Rus, part of the Dual Language program at Southampton Intermediate, said meeting the queen helped give her Spanish studies a context. Her family came from Poland 15 years ago, she said,  "so I don't really have anywhere to speak it, except Spanish class."

In Washington Heights, Hunt said she wanted to celebrate "the language that's in our streets," and the Dos Puentes immersion dual language program offers kids a chance to use the language in different contexts, not just Spanish class. She said she's pleased to offer students of Dominican, Mexican, Ecuadorian and Colombian backgrounds an opportunity to connect with the language of their heritage.

Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI are in from Spain this week for the UN General Assembly meeting, which began Monday.

Eighth graders Kasia Rus and Julie Ordonez pose with their Queen Leticia selfie.

(Julia Longoria/WNYC)