Class of 2026: Piedmont senior returns to where her Spanish journey began

For Maggie Keziah, Spanish has been part of her education since kindergarten.

Maggie is a senior at Piedmont High School. Her first exposure to the language came through Union County Public Schools’ dual language immersion program at Unionville Elementary School.

“We were the first class at Unionville,” Maggie said with a laugh. “They were still figuring out what worked and what didn’t.”

By the end of kindergarten, Spanish had already become the language of the classroom.

“There was a moment at the grocery store where someone was struggling to find something,” she said. “I went up to them and was in full Spanish asking what they needed. I think that was when it clicked for my mom—this was actually working.”

At home, the language carried over in everyday moments.

“I would be sitting at the kitchen counter doing homework, and my mom had no idea what I was doing,” Maggie said. “If she said a word wrong, I would correct her. I wasn’t playing around.”

While some students moved away from language study over time, Maggie continued with Spanish through middle school, high school and Advanced Placement coursework.

“I found it important that I kept up with it because I studied it for so long,” she said. “Why let it go now?”

That commitment eventually brought her back to where it all started.

Through the UCPS Career and Technical Education (CTE) Internship Program, a work-based learning opportunity that allows rising seniors to gain hands-on experience in career fields before college or post-secondary training, she returned to Unionville Elementary, working in both English and dual language classrooms.

One of her strongest early influences came during those elementary years.

“We had Miss Iglesias,” Maggie said. “She was our first-grade teacher and later returned in third grade. She was from Spain, and she made sure we were really learning Spanish, not just getting by.”

Looking back, Maggie said the impact of that instruction took time to fully understand.

“I didn’t appreciate it then, but I do now,” she said. “She focused on the details and the culture behind the language.”

At first, she expected to pursue traditional elementary education. Then she stepped into a dual language classroom.

“I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed teaching Spanish specifically,” Maggie said. “It was kind of a happy accident.”

The experience shifted how she saw herself.

“I didn’t think I had the confidence that I would do well,” she said. “Once I got in the classroom and learned that I could do it, it gave me the courage to move forward.”

Working with small groups reinforced that direction.

“Just connecting with them was really special,” she said.

Returning to Unionville Elementary added another layer to the experience, where Maggie also reconnected with Sharyn VonCannon.

“I had her as my principal growing up and then being back there working alongside her made everything connect in a different way,” Maggie said.

VonCannon said Maggie’s journey reflects the lasting impact of dual language immersion.

“Having a former student like Maggie express a desire to return as a dual language teacher, hopefully at our own school, is incredibly rewarding,” VonCannon said. “She is patient, kind and truly embodies what it means to be an outstanding learner and future educator.”

This fall, Maggie will attend Wingate University, where she plans to continue studying elementary education and Spanish as she prepares for a career in teaching.

“I want my students not only learning Spanish, but learning where it comes from,” she said. “The culture is really important.”

As she prepares for what comes next, Maggie is focused less on where her journey began and more on helping future students find their voice in a second language.