As she reads a book to her students, preschool teacher Erica Armenta asks them questions - "Fuerte? Strong?" "Dentista? Dentist?" "Limpiar? Clean?"
What makes this moment unique to Central Missouri Community Action's Moniteau County Head Start is the book is "Peppa Pig: El Hada de los Dientes," which she reads in Spanish and discusses with the preschoolers in Spanish.
They may respond in English, but they understand the foreign language.
The fully bilingual program has been in place for three years. The lessons and activities for half the day are spoken in English and the other half in Spanish. All of the stations and items in the preschool area are labeled with both languages.
"It's the same kids, same education; they all benefit," team leader/teacher Brandy Cotten said. "They may not be talking it, but they understand it."
The students enjoy knowing words their parents may not know and are eager to use them when they can, she said. But students are not forced to speak either language during lessons.
"It's Erica's job to speak it, and they pick up what they want," Cotten said.
The concept began because of the large population of Spanish-speaking workers moving to the area, she said. After having some children come to the school from the Special Learning Center, she said, they also have integrated American Sign Language into daily life.
"We learn it with them," Cotten said.
Originally another Mid-Missouri Head Start initiated the pilot program, but it did not survive.
In California, "it thrived," Cotten said.
Before the bilingual program, they would use an interpreter in addition to the regular teachers. Now, Armenta does both.
"Miss Erica is amazing; the kids adore her," Cotten said.
Armenta has been at the center since nearly the beginning of the program. She received an associate's degree in early childhood education from State Fair Community College in Sedalia and last year earned her citizenship.
She arrived at age 15 from Mexico and knows firsthand how difficult it is to learn a second language.
"It's easier to have a program like this," Armenta said.
At the moment, the school has only one Spanish-speaking student. But English-speaking parents have been just as pleased.
"We want to put more opportunities out there for everyone," Cotten said.
The local bilingual program has received national recognition and has been used as an example of how such a program could work.
Cotten said she would like to expand the program further, pulling in more diversity with books, puzzles, dolls and more.