OUR STORY

La Senda Spanish center was founded in 2018 by Emma Johnson. She was teaching Spanish classes and working in Spanish immersion classrooms when she began to notice that students were lacking passion that sparked her love for Spanish. The following summer, Spanish Camp was created with the goal of showing students that Spanish is fun. Spanish Camp was received with overwhelming positivity and what started as a hobby has become a fully operating Spanish Center. Emma now runs La Senda full-time after graduating from Bethel University with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Her experience living in Segovia, Spain and teaching at La Aneja CEIP have shaped programs and inspired the heart behind our teaching philosophy. The meaning of La Senda, translated “the path,” signifies the path to learning and loving Spanish. Our variety of programs are designed to create a path for everyone regardless of where they are in their Spanish journey.

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WHAT WE DO

Our mission is to create environments that encourage kids, youth, and adults to love Spanish.

Get involved!
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​• Camp & Summer Care
• Classes
​• Tutoring
• Community Engagement
• Pre-staff Programs
• Paid Staff Development

WHY WE DO IT

Our vision is to build communities that celebrate Spanish.

Why is that important?
​• Spanish is a Growing Language: It’s one of the most widely spoken languages in the U.S. and the world.
​• Boosts Brain Power: Learning Spanish improves memory, focus, and first language skills.
​• Global Mindset: Multilingualism is common around the world — why not here too?
​• All Ages Can Learn: Kids absorb language quickly, but it's never too late to start.
​• Brings People Together: Language connects families, friends, and cultures.
​• A Gift for Life: Spanish opens doors for careers, travel, and lifelong learning.

HOW WE DO IT

Our strategy is to grow individuals that excel in connection, curiosity, and confidence.

We evaluate our strategy by looking for the following outcomes:

LEARNERS
Connection: I feel known and cared for by people who love Spanish
Curiosity: I can take risks, make mistakes, and grow my Spanish communication skills.
Confidence: I can apply my skills in any environment.

LEADERS
Connection: I feel known and cared for on my team.
Curiosity: I am developing my skills and leadership.
Confidence: I know I am making an impact.

Our Community

We believe that Spanish should be celebrated in community. We love when students of different language levels are mixed together so they can teach and inspire one another. Read the categories below to hear more about how we grow learners of all levels.

New to Spanish

La Senda is a great environment to learn Spanish for the very first time! Kids are in a critical period for language development and we take advantage of that by welcoming them into a fun, Spanish-speaking environment. Maybe you’re thinking about immersion school in the future or you just want to expose your child to new opportunities, now is the time to start!

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Beginners

Beginner level students are those who have had some exposure to Spanish from lessons at school or from a Spanish-speaking parent. At La Senda, they are able to build a strong foundation for loving Spanish. They see others speaking Spanish and begin to develop an eager motivation to learn. Students get to experience how fun Spanish can be outside of the classroom environment.

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Immersion Students

La Senda has awesome experiences for immersion students. We want them to be challenged yet celebrated. Students who already love Spanish thrive at La Senda. For those students who might be burnt out from school or more reluctant to speak Spanish outside of the classroom, we show kids that learning Spanish is fun! We want to help kids find their own motivation to learn Spanish.

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Native Level

La Senda is the perfect community for kids whose first language is Spanish. Kids get to have fun and meet new friends all while being part of a Spanish speaking community. Maybe you’re a native speaker, but struggle to get your children to speak Spanish. Here, staff encourage and motivate kids to take pride in their ability to understand and speak Spanish!

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