Rahnee Candaza

Candaza’s innovative teaching idea, “Stories Across Cultures,” is designed to engage 6th-8th grade students in creating bilingual Tagalog-English storybooks that highlight Filipino values such as family, respect and community. Under the CPALMS Florida standards, students will write, illustrate and translate their stories while developing literacy, critical thinking and creative skills. The program incorporates hands-on cultural experiences, including traditional crafts and cooking Filipino dishes, fostering cross-cultural understanding and global awareness. Completed storybooks will be shared with peers, teachers and the community, creating a lasting educational resource. This interdisciplinary approach integrates ELA, visual arts and cultural studies, promoting inclusivity, engagement and meaningful learning, creativity, and authentic engagement while strengthening literacy and cross-cultural understanding. Candaza says the Voya grant will be used to purchase high-quality art and printing supplies, including sketchbooks, markers, colored pencils, digital illustration materials and professional printing of student storybooks.