Sponsored by an anonymous Community Foundation donor – a local family that strongly believes in inclusivity, and that nonprofits who serve Latino residents can provide better service if more of their staff speak Spanish – Camila Peterson is earning rave reviews for her practical, conversation-oriented Spanish classes.

“I’ve been doing this for more than 30 years,” says the native speaker from Paraguay who began teaching Spanish as a second language to Peace Corps volunteers, American businessmen and missionaries there. When Camila and her husband – a former Peace Corps participant – moved to Boulder, she worked for K-Mart in order to learn English and American culture.

“I teach for people to speak,” she says. “After just 20 hours, you can have a basic conversation in Spanish.”

Indeed, Camila’s interactive method simulates an immersion experience. “You will learn Spanish as if you were living in a native Spanish-speaking land and had to speak to survive,” she says. “What The Community Foundation is helping to promote, is that speaking in the same language builds understanding.”

— Community Foundation of Boulder County Newsletter