During September and October, many schools across Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) organized events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
The celebration started at Hawthorne Elementary School with “¡Leamos Juntos!” (Let’s Read Together!) and a parade of nations to represent student cultures with dances, travel brochures, collage/pictures, foil owl butterflies, Peruvian Cactus Art, Chilean Stitching Arpilleras and Antigua Guatemala Traditional Masks.
Two Fairdale High School students, Aylin Muñoz & Ramon Mora, visited elementary schools throughout the District to read a book they wrote, in Spanish and English, about the first day of school.
At Newcomer Academy, students celebrated their diverse backgrounds with a Parade of Nations, presenting more than 50 nationalities. Students also decorated doors to represent all nationalities throughout the school. Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood visited the school and was surprised with a door decorated in honor of his Trinidad & Tobago roots.
Students at Harstern Elementary participated in a parade honoring cultures and traditions of Spanish-speaking countries.
Blake Elementary celebrated the month with students from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade who participated in a parade and carried the flag of their native countries.
Minors Lane Elementary celebrated student heritage with a parade where students wore traditional clothing from their families' home countries. They also had “read in,” where members of the community came to the school to read to the students.
Okolona Elementary hosted a parade where students proudly showcased unique outfits celebrating their heritage for their school community. It was a fantastic opportunity for their students to share a piece of their culture while all students celebrated and learned together.
Indian Trail Elementary held a parade to honor the culture of its community.
Rutherford Elementary hosted a family engagement night, where they had community partners, student dancers, and much more.
The month concluded with a great celebration at Southern High School, which highlighted the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic Countries, Traditional Dress through a Catrinas Parade, Quinceañera Dance (Vals de las Mariposa), cultural performances, and music such as la Gozadera, el son de la negra, and Nueva Yol Completa. These activities helped students to learn more about the importance of Hispanic culture and history in our community.