Lina Riddle, a Spanish teacher at Chapin High School in South Carolina, recently received a donation from the Sonic fast-food chain for her classroom. The donation included a whiteboard, notepad, markers, and a pencil. These items will be used as classroom resources. Riddle began her teaching career in Colombia and moved to South Carolina in 2016. She focuses on creating a classroom environment with Hispanic flags, instructional signs, and interactive toys to support student participation.
Riddle stated that teachers receive a yearly check for classroom supplies, but it does not always cover all expenses. She applied for additional support online, which led to the Sonic donation. The fast-food chain selected Chapin High and other Columbia-area schools for donations because its Newberry location participated in the Dr. Pepper Sonic Games, a national competition held in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 5, 2025.
Riddle’s teaching approach includes building relationships with students and using reward systems and extra credit to encourage participation. Her classroom displays basic Spanish vocabulary to help students learn new words. Students in her class, such as freshman Henry Manning, said the lessons are interactive and include games like ‘Tango, Tingo, Tango’ and ‘Hot Potato.’ Another student, Joselyn Lee, noted the supportive environment in the class, which is influenced by her experiences with foster children from Spanish-speaking countries…