At John J. Pershing Elementary School, two educators are using innovative approaches to strengthen bilingual literacy in their classrooms.
This year, Maria Fernandez and Jessica Riedel used the funding from Read Conmigo Educator Grants to transform their students’ reading experience.
Fernandez, who teaches fourth-grade bilingual reading, used her award given by the Kemper Foundation to launch Break a Leg, a drama-based literacy initiative that uses puppets and theater to help students improve reading comprehension, build vocabulary, and express their emotions.
“I began to notice emotional learning gaps after the pandemic,” she said. “The plays helped my students find new vocabulary to express what they were feeling every day. There were also academic benefits.”
The grant allowed her students to perform literature and read plays, gaining exposure to elements of theater such as acting, lighting, and music.
Fernandez’s dedication as an educator led her to be named 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year at her school. She has also received classroom grants from Donors Choose and the Junior League of Dallas. Originally from Spain, Fernandez began teaching in the U.S. through the Exchange Visiting Teachers from Spain program, and eventually became a teacher in Dallas ISD 10 years ago. Jessica Riedel joined Dallas ISD in 2021 and spent the last two years as a bilingual reading teacher at Pershing Elementary. In her kindergarten classroom, she is rethinking the way students interact with reading.
With her grant money, Riedel purchased technology and literacy materials, including 30 licenses for a bilingual reading program loaded on each student’s iPad.
“Thanks to these resources, 90 percent of my students are reading,” she said.
In addition to receiving the educator grant, Riedel was selected for a special recognition, in which one teacher from each state receives a campus celebration with the Kemper Foundation. In October, the president of the Kemper Foundation visited her classroom, and Riedel received backpacks with bilingual books and school supplies, along with a lunch party and official recognition.
Riedel’s passion for education goes beyond literacy. She has a background in engineering and project management. She previously worked with NASA while studying at Florida International University, and brings this STEM and entrepreneurial lens to her teaching at Pershing.
Kemper Foundation annually awards up to 100 Read Conmigo educator grants to dual-language teachers in Texas, Florida, and California. Applications for the fall 2025 cycle close June 16. Teachers can apply at the Kemper Foundation website.
In addition to grants for educators, the foundation awarded Read Conmigo School Impact Grants to educators at Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School, Alex Sanger Preparatory School, and Stephen C. Foster Elementary School, honoring their commitment to campus-wide dual language education.
With the support of the Kemper Foundation, Fernandez and Riedel turned their ideas into action, reinforcing the legacy of innovation at John J. Pershing Elementary, a 2024 Lighthouse Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
“I am grateful, inspired, and motivated to continue helping our students and honored to have support from the Kemper Foundation and the state of Texas,” Riedel said.
