Students at Cuyahoga Heights High School and Middle School will be referring to books, desks, and workbooks as los libros, los escritorios, and los cuadernos thanks to the efforts of Cuyahoga Heights High School’s (CHHS) Spanish Club to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Breaking into teams of two and three, club members have visited more than a dozen classrooms to identify common items that can be labeled with their Spanish name. During the week of October 4, students will adhere the labels to the classroom fixtures. They also will label items in the upstairs and downstairs main hallway at the high school and the main hallway at the middle school. In addition, teachers are being given information about Hispanic Heritage Month to share with their classes.
“We do have Spanish speakers in our buildings and it is important for us in our school bubble to realize and respect the cultures of others,” said Spanish teacher Christine Bennett, about the project. The club saw this as a way to increase knowledge and understanding of the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic-Americans, and, at the same time, “get the word out” about the fun things happening in Spanish Club.
In addition to the labeling project, the Spanish Club will hold a “pulsera” or bracelet sale October 4-18. The bracelets have been made by children, teens, and young family members in Guatemala and Nicaragua. Because neither country’s government has its own education system, families must pay to send their children to school. “Every amount raised will go to help kids in these countries pay for their schooling,” said Bennett. Those who make the bracelets also learn a skill. “I think it would be fun to help some of the families out who don’t have what we have here (in the U.S.),” said junior Kayla Vallee, about the bracelet sale.
Then, on Saturday, October 30, the Spanish Club will host Spanish I and II students to participate in Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Ohio presented by the Cleveland Public Theatre. “This is the only event in which students will have a really immersive experience featuring the Spanish language, art, culture, music, dance and food,” said Mrs. Bennett.
Since 1988, the US has observed Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson. President Ronal Reagan expanded the observance in 1988 to cover a 30-day period from September 15 and ending on October 15.
The Spanish Club’s positive efforts were featured on Ideastream’s NewsDepth program during its A+ Award segment.