From September 15th to October 15th, people around the globe come together to learn and celebrate Hispanic Heritage month. In honor of those who have journeyed from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Charter’s Spanish Honor Society (SHS) has prepared a week of remembrance for the cherishable month.
Monday 10/21/24: Find the Flag
To start off the week, students were invited to participate in representing their country with colorful and fun activities. Transforming a blank piece of paper into a vibrantly colored flag, PPCHS commemorates the efforts of those who made an impact for Latin cultures in America. Senior and Historian of SHS, Diedra Pabon, shared “The coloring flag day activity was genuinely so much fun. I was able to represent my country, Peru, and showcase it in the school cafeteria.”
Tuesday 10/22/24: Spanish Spelling Bee
Battling for first place at the Spanish spelling bee, students competed against one another in the ultimate vocabulary test. With Florida’s Hispanic population being approximately 26%, a large majority of students at PPCHS speak Spanish on a daily basis. Junior, Armando Ayala communicated, “My family celebrates our culture by keeping my brother and I from forgetting the Spanish language.” After a long and intense competition, Junior Juan Jose Pazmino took home the win along with the $100 prize. Pazmino exclaimed, “Being a part of the Spanish spelling bee this year was a memorable experience for me and winning it is something I’ll never forget.”
Wednesday 10/23/24: Arepa Cooking Class
At the Spanish Honor Societies third day of celebration, students gathered around to bake arepa’s. In Hispanic culture, people bake to share the ‘language of love,’ with their families. The club included this day not only for students to enjoy the food they made, but also to emphasize the importance of cultural dishes and the impact they have on Hispanic communities. Ayala further explained his family traditions: “We make hallacas, which are a traditional food in Venezuela during the Christmas season.” With some gloves and dough, students shaped the ingredients into a savory-treat in which everyone can enjoy.
Thursday 10/24/24: Latin Dance Day
Two left feet or dancing prodigy, it didn’t matter for SHS’s bachata and salsa class that was held after school on the ROG steps. Partnering with the Latin Dance team, Captain Fabiana Roca led the class, where she taught the basic steps of bachata and salsa and challenged charter students with an intricate routine. Faizan Shah, a Junior, exclaimed, “It was [a] fun [experience], I had never done Latin style dancing so it was a new experience for me.” With a deeper meaning behind the event, SHS created a sense of unity in the Charter environment, bringing students from a variety of cultures.“[The dancing] was challenging in the beginning but it was [overall] really fun. The Latin dance team did an amazing job teaching us,” Junior, Diego Ponce expressed.
Friday 10/25/24: Culture Day and Domino Night
With a large majority of Charter participating, SHS prompted students to dress in their best heritage attire. Students of all age groups represented their countries from all over the world. Whether it was soccer jerseys, baseball jerseys, or a regular t-shirt, seeing the diversity within the school was admirable. Junior Grace Castro exclaimed, “Seeing everyone in their shirts I feel that it brought everyone together, and you got to see where everyone was from. I even had people comment on my Puerto Rican Marlins jersey.”
Coloring, spelling, arepas, dancing, and jerseys are just the minor attributes of Hispanic culture. By honoring Latinos who make a difference in America, SHS’s Hispanic Heritage week was an eventful success!
