Hispanic Heritage Month Parade 2022

Our school is rich in heritage, diverse in ethnicity, and quite artistically creative as a Visual and Performing Arts A+ Magnet School.  Many times a year, we come together as a school family to celebrate cultural events, holidays, special occasions, and accomplishments.

On Friday, October 7, we started our day with a special Parade in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.  Any staff member or student who wanted to participate in the parade were invited to wear traditional Hispanic clothing or carry artifacts and flags.  Spectators gathered along the hallways as the parade started marching and made its way around the school, complete with candy being shared, miniature floats following the crowd, and banners carried and waved proudly by students.  

 

Our grand marshal was William Herrera, brother of Ms. Diane Herrera Castillo, our family support assistant.  They both are first generations of their family to be born in the United States; their family is from El Salvador.  Mr. Herrera is a member of the Hispanic League and serves as a co-chair for the education committee.  He is also known for his support in volunteering and driving the HOPE Bus.  He is a retired firefighter; when he lived in Hempstead, NY, he worked for the fire department, served as EMT, and worked in the jail for the sheriff's department as well. 

 

The excitement, joy, and pride felt during the parade was buzzing through the hallways and classrooms for the rest of the day.  This sense of happiness, collaboration, and creativity while supporting our school family is a main message in all that we do at our school.

Watch the parade at: https://t.co/legJxSqFJ2

 

Hispanic Heritage Month: Dressing Like a Famous Person

During Hispanic Heritage Month, staff and students were invited to "Dress Like a Famous Hispanic Person" as part of our school celebrations.

 

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15-October 15 to honor the heritage, culture, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Our dress up day was a time of sharing stories, making connections, and having fun while learning.  Students shared their favorite musicians, heroes, or famous Hispanic Americans while they dressed in clothing and accessories to represent these personalities.  Teachers and staff wore traditional clothing and jerseys and explained their attire choices to their students.

 

Hispanic Heritage Month in Specials

For Hispanic Heritage Month, the Specialist Team planned a day of rotations to give students a taste of how traditions in Hispanic/Latin cultures have influenced the arts.  

When students visited Specials during their scheduled time, they rotated through four stations.  In Art, classes designed guitars in the style of Pablo Picasso and created fans in the styles of the Aztecs.  

 

In Dance, students learned the Mexican hat dance as they moved around a sombrero.

When grade levels rotated to music, they sang and played hand instruments as well as learned a traditional song to use for rhythm games.

In PE, students participated in soccer drills and discussed the importance of "futbol" in Hispanic traditions.

A Field Trip to WFU

Fourth Graders were invited to the Scales Arts Center on the campus of Wake Forest University to enjoy a live performance of This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing. 

The story focused on three sisters who embark on a journey of discovery.  One travels forward, one back, and one stays in the here and now.  They learn about truth, love, friendship, home, jokes, and more.

Students enjoyed many aspects of the play to opportunities for them to call out a word, laugh, get jokingly scared by animals, and more.

The cast performed in the aisles and the back and front of the theatre as well as the stage. 

International DOT Day

Dr. Dobson greeted students on International Dot Day with sticker dots.

Author and illustrator, Peter H. Reynolds, released his book, The Dot, on September 15, 2003.  The book tells the story of "Vashti," a student who felt like she couldn't draw.  Her teachers told  her to just make a mark and see where it takes her.  So, Vashti made a dot on her paper and was surprised to see her paper with the dot handing on the wall the next day.  This gave Vashti the confidence to explore her creativity and individuality.  This story inspired Dot Day.

Millions of children and adults have been inspired by "The Dot."  International Dot Day is celebrated every year on September 15 and is currently celebrated in 192 countries by more than 19 million people! 

For Dot Day, teachers integrated the book into morning meetings, and staff, teachers, and students around the school wore clothing with dots.

Mariachi Musician from Las Vegas, NV Kicks Off Hispanic Heritage Month

Josie Borges came to town with her mother from Las Vegas, NV to perform for the 30^th Annual Winston-Salem Hispanic League Fiesta in downtown. Josie kicked off our school Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations as she performed for an audience of 2^nd and 3^rd graders.

Josie gave students a lesson on mariachi music. Not only did she perform several songs in her full garb, she also taught lessons on the history and culture of the genre and how it continues to inspire new musicians. Borges feels that mariachi, while deeply vested in Hispanic heritage, can be appreciated by anyone who’s willing to listen, so she hopes that every student who heard her play came away with a new appreciation for the music.

“It’s a blessing to be able to share our music with people, whether they’re part of that culture or not,” Borges said.

“While anyone of any background can enjoy Hispanic music, it’s important for Hispanic students in particular that they get to hear it. Musicians like Rosado and Borges have made rich and fulfilling careers by steeping themselves in their cultural customs and making their own music to continue those traditions. Every student deserves to see that they have the opportunity to do the same.”

We’re a very diverse school with approximately 50% Hispanic students. “It’s great for our students to see someone who’s so connected to their own culture who’s made a career out of traditional music and art who’s just really excelling,” Mrs. Amanda Gordon, Magnet Coordinator.