Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations at French International

French International celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

The month included a variety of educational activities for students to learn more about Latinx culture and history. Middle School Spanish-track and beginning Spanish students put together presentations for each Lower School class. Each presentation was about a different cultural aspect, including food, music, celebrations, celebrities, geography, and more. The middle schoolers also hosted an assembly for the rest of the Middle School students to share information about Hispanic Heritage Month, Spanish-speaking countries and their diverse history and culture. The students created posters, which they hung up around campus to educate the community on Spanish-speaking countries and cultures.

Elmira Ramos-Rojas, our health coordinator, and Valerie Angelus, our payroll accountant, taught first and fifth graders about Latin music and dance during their music class. French International parent David Vasquez taught a cooking class for seventh graders who made sofritas, rice, beans, and chicken.

In addition to the activities done throughout the month, the library team of Dayspring Brown and Max Wardle put together a list of books about Hispanic culture with options for all ages, from preschool to young adult. Stephanie Martin Sewell created a display in the lobby of the main building with posters and artwork.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15. This 30-day period includes many significant events for Latin American Countries. September 15 is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. 

The Hispanic Heritage Month committee is one of ten committees formed to recognize, honor, and celebrate different cultures at French International. The plan for heritage month celebrations was created by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee and is part of the strategic plan pillar of People.