Coronado Launches Bilingual Newspaper to Engage Students in Writing

This innovative approach to literacy is funded through the APS Education Foundation's Guhl Literacy Award.

Coronado Elementary School, a dual language school in downtown Albuquerque, has started a bilingual school newspaper, La Prensa, with students serving as contributing reporters. The goal of the project is to improve literacy in both English and Spanish through storytelling, editing and collaboration. The newspaper also allows students to learn more about their own families, culture and community by researching topics of importance to them and their school. 

The newspaper is funded through the Guhl Literacy Award granted through the APS Education Foundation. The award was made possible by the Guhl Charitable Trust, named for Bertha V. Guhl who had a sincere passion for education. Guhl died in 2003, but her legacy of philanthropy continues. 

 Coronado Principal Anna Marie Ulibarri attributes the school's success in large part to its parents who truly believe in the power of a dual language program. 

"The other piece that is important is that our staff is incredible," Ulibarri added. "These are people who know they are going to work harder and they do. Every. Single. Day. What they do they do with a lot of passion and a lot of joy. They want to make sure that learning is authentic, is real, and is truly going to prepare children for the future as biliterate individuals."

Ulibarri noted that the school also has a focus on service learning. "We want our children to know that they have many talents, and they have many strengths and we want them to use those talents and strengths," she said.  

The Guhl Literacy Award of $50,000 that was disbursed to Coronado Elementary School last year continues to help more than 300 students at the school. The money was used to help pay for technology to produce the newspaper.

To learn more about the APS Education Foundation, please visit the APS Educational Foundation website or call (505) 881-0841.