The Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies hosted a Spanish Story Time event at the Urbana Free Library on Saturday. Children and families of all cultural backgrounds were invited to listen to Spanish music and a story in both English and Spanish. Afterward, the children made piñatas and played with maracas.

Alejandra Seufferheld, the outreach coordinator of the center, said event has been held every other Saturday of the month since 2001. The goal, she said, is to promote cultural awareness and an enthusiasm for reading. Every year since then, attendance has significantly increased, she said.

“One of the center’s primary goals is to spread awareness of Hispanic culture,” Seufferheld said.

Seufferheld said she has seen an equal amount of Hispanic and non-Hispanic families attend Spanish Story Time, and sometimes there have been no Hispanic families present at all. Shu Ping Du said she brought her four–year–old son, Wesley Lu, in hopes of exposing him to different languages.

“He is already very fluent in both Chinese and English, so I want him to try Spanish too,” she said. “Foreign languages interest him, and I think it’s very important for him to start learning at a young age.”

Seufferheld said she agrees that exposing children to cultures and languages at an early age is important.

“We have seen a lot of elementary schools in the Champaign–Urbana area develop foreign language programs for their kids,” she said.

Seufferheld noted that schools like Leal Elementary in Urbana and Booker T. Washington Elementary in Champaign are constantly improving their programs. She also said their Spanish language programs are two of the strongest she has seen.

For parents like Michelle Jimenez, whose two–year–old daughter Eva is just starting to learn her native language of Spanish, foreign language programs in schools are an important resource.

“It’s definitely hard trying to teach your child about your culture and language while sending them to public schools that teach them English and about Western culture,” she said. “My husband and I are trying to find a balance between the two, but it’s easier with programs like these.”

Seufferheld said she has received only positive feedback from parents and teachers and said she hopes the event will stay popular enough to run for years.

“It’s very important for the community to encourage its children to learn about other cultures and languages,” she said.