Phone: 803/240-9774

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

*USC, University of Oregon (2003-2010): 18+ Graduate Credit hours in Spanish and Latin American History. *USC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, etc.(2005-2008): 18+ Graduate hours resulting in certification in ESOL. *University of Maryland at College Park (1991-1993): MA in American Studies with a focus on race relations, Latin America and youth culture. *Brigham Young University (1984-1985, 1987-1991): BA in American Studies with a minor in Spanish.

Mr. Kib Keola Hunt

¡Hola!  

I am excited to return for another year of teaching Spanish in Kershaw County!  I have been amazed at how much Spanish our students have been able to learn, and I look forward to even more outstanding achievements!

One of my favorite activities is connecting with people from different languages and cultures.  In my Spanish classes, I try to teach students the tools to make such connections and to show them how fun it can be!  I treat it as a 45-day (6th and 7th grade) or 180 day (8th grade) adventure in the world of Spanish.  Please come along for the ride!  

¡Bienvenidos! [Welcome!]

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Below is a longer personal introduction, if you would like to read it:

As long as I can remember, I have loved connecting with people from other cultures.  For instance, I was born in Hawaii and my middle name, Keola, is Hawaiian for "the right life."  I treasure that name and the Hawaiian people!  

At age 4, my dad moved us from "paradise" to a desert farm in Washington State where we lived for 20 years until after I completed my Bachelors Degree.   Thirty percent of that small Washington community was Latino.  In fact, our nearest neighbor out in the country was the Garcia family.  We would swap my grandma's "puffed wheat balls" (which we were tired of) for their mom's hand-made tortillas (a great new treat).  Even so, it wasn't until my sophomore year in high school that I began to really learn Spanish.  While some of my friends quickly absorbed the language, it was very hard for me--I'm not a naturally gifted language learner--thus, I believe I can relate to my students who struggle.  My high school Spanish teacher, Mrs. Carpenter, did inspire us all to learn and we came out loving and speaking Spanish!

After high school, Spanish was never my primary career course but I kept it going all the time on the side:  I took time-out from an American Studies Bachelors program to be a missionary for 2 years in Guatemala;  picked up language teaching courses while completing a MA in American Studies at the University of Maryland at College Park; and along the way (while sometimes teaching ESOL, Social Studies and Spanish) have travelled to Spain and Puerto Rico, studied abroad twice in Mexico, and now explored a lot of South America.  I have also had many chances to use Spanish in politics, law, community relations, the medical field, business, the media, and so on.

I always tell the kids: I have a BA, MA and many other certificates, but learning Spanish has meant more to me, my career, and my life, than all the other programs combined.

I try to help students to find how valuable Spanish can be for them, no mattter their future interests.

¡Vamonos!  Let's explore!

Kib Hunt