"The Esparza community is excited and proud to have received the National Blue Ribbon Award," stated Esparza principal Melva Matkin. "The faculty, staff, students, and parents work very hard to make sure that each student is successful. This process gave us the opportunity to identify and spotlight the many ways that they demonstrate their commitment and dedication."

The program recognizes outstanding schools that exemplify outstanding educational practices. Esparza was one of only 264 schools receiving national Blue Ribbon recognition in 2001. A group of Esparza parents and staff members traveled to Washington D.C. where First Lady Laura Bush was the featured speaker at the awards presentation.

Dual Language instruction differs from traditional Bilingual education in its philosophy. Most Bilingual programs aim for students to be exited from mainly Spanish instruction as soon as they become proficient in English. The objective of Dual Language instruction is for the student to become proficient in both Spanish and English. "I think it's an excellent program," states teacher Carla Rocha. "The students who speak Spanish benefit from receiving instruction in their native language, while the English speakers are quickly learning Spanish and still maintaining their English."

For more detailed information, go to Dual Language/Bilingual.