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Teachers and authors Verónica Abente and Natalia Burgstaller donated sets of children’s books — written by Abente and highlighting Paraguayan culture, geography, and food — to every elementary school in Pittsburg and to Pittsburg Community Middle School.
Burgstaller, whose own children’s book is at the printer, plans to send copies once it is published.
The visit was part of an extended five‑week stay on the Pitt State campus, where the two educators completed intensive English courses, collaborated with university faculty and students, and visited local schools to learn more about American education and culture.
In Paraguay, both teach Spanish children from several countries — the U.K., the U.S., and more — whose parents include ambassadors, professionals, and other international residents.
Improving their own English fluency, they said, directly strengthens their work with these students.
“We want to be able to think in English, not just talk in English,” Abente said.
A major focus of their trip was to observe U.S. school environments firsthand. During their stay, they visited all Pittsburg elementary schools, Pittsburg Community Middle School, and Pittsburg High School, where they met teachers, spent time in classrooms, and exchanged ideas about language instruction.
“The best learning is through sharing,” Abente said.
They toured area attractions and ate at restaurants to get a feel for the culture of the midwestern U.S.
And, the visitors collaborated with Pitt State students Olivia Tune (Psychology/Spanish) and Joanna Rivera Ramos (Construction/Spanish) on a community-focused Spanish library project underway — part of a new pilot initiative led by Professor Grant Moss, who teaches Spanish in the English and Modern Languages Department.
The Paraguayan visit builds on the university's long-standing partnership with Paraguay, established through a statewide program that has brought many Paraguayan students to Pittsburg State and sent university faculty members to Paraguay to teach short-term sessions.
“We’re also working on establishing a teacher exchange in the College of Education,” said Assistant Professor Donna Zerr. “Visits like this strengthen that partnership and open doors to new opportunities for both countries.”
