For East Rockaway High School's College Spanish 5 students, a classic of Spanish literature recently leapt off the page and onto the stage – and they had front-row seats.

Led by Mr. Gomez and Ms. Berg, students traveled to New York City to attend a performance of “El Quijote” at Repertorio Español, the acclaimed Spanish-language theater company based in Manhattan. The excursion gave students a rare opportunity to experience the language and culture they study every day in an authentic, immersive setting.

“El Quijote,” based on Miguel de Cervantes' 17th-century masterpiece, is widely considered one of the greatest works of literature ever written. Seeing the story performed entirely in Spanish – with all the drama, comedy, and humanity that live theater brings –offered students a deeper connection to the text than any classroom lesson alone could provide.

The trip was both a cultural adventure and an academic one, reinforcing vocabulary, deepening comprehension and exposing students to the rich theatrical traditions of the Spanish-speaking world.