The Government of the Azores, through the Region Directorate for Communities, will attend the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Espírito Santo School in the city of Fall River, Massachusetts.
The Coordinator of the Emigration and Returnee Office, Paulo Teves, will attend a Mass presided by the Bishop of Fall River, George W. Coleman, to take place at the Holy Spirit Church on September 19, and participate in a meeting with students, parents and the local community.
The Espírito Santo School, which was founded by Azoreans, opened on September 19, 1910.
Currently, the 260 enrolled students start to learn Portuguese from the age of three at preschool.
Younger students learn numbers, colours and basic sentences in Portuguese during their daily routine. Students from preschool to the 2nd grade learn Portuguese once a week while older students are exposed to the language more often and by the time they graduate, most are able to read and write in Portuguese with some proficiency.
The School Board estimates that 75 percent of the students are of Portuguese descent, although some of them are fourth-generation Portuguese.
The Espírito Santo School is located in one of the cities with highest number of Azorean emigrants which is also the venue of the Holy Spirit Festivities of New England.
This year, the teaching of Portuguese Language integrated in the national curriculum of the United States, is celebrated thanks to the Espírito Santo School for being the oldest school to offer Portuguese classes.
The participation of the Azorean Government in this session privileges the commitment and recognition of our communities as well as the importance of Portuguese Language in the preserving the cultural identity of the Azores.