A vibrant tribute to Heritage: PPCHS students come together to celebrate Hispanic Culture
The annual PPCHS Spanish Spelling Bee brought students together to showcase their Spanish skills and school spirit. Each participant demonstrates vocabulary, accent, and dedication as judges announce Spanish words aloud for the contestants to spell them correctly in order to qualify for the next round. The event was filled with tension, laughter, and school spirit. First round winner, Senior, Isabella Conrado exclaimed how “I joined just for the fun and did not really expect to actually win. I went in thinking I wouldn’t get even one right, so I’m really excited that I won.” Second round winner, Junior Manuel Roz mentions how, “It felt awesome to win. I’m normally a nervous person, but I took a deep breath and spelled the final word, and got it correct. My heart was beating so fast, but I’m glad I got the opportunity to win.”
With Salsa and Bachata being two of the most popular dances in Hispanic culture, SHS brought the rhythms to PPCHS’s River of Grass Auditorium for all students to enjoy in a fun Latin dance class. Collaborating with the PPCHS Latin Dance Team, SHS created an energetic and welcoming environment where everyone moved side to side in sync, led by senior and Co-Captain of the Latin Dance Team, Madison Casanova. Casanova took pride in sharing her culture’s dance traditions and ensured everyone felt part of a supportive community.
“Growing up, I only learned how to dance based on my own culture, so it was a new feeling learning Bachata,” shared senior Faizan Shah. “Even though I was there for a short time, I had a really fun experience learning something new.”
SHS not only introduced students to this lively dance style but also fostered inclusion and created a no-judgment space where everyone could truly learn and have fun together.
Colorful jerseys from Hispanic countries ranging from Mexico to Spain filled the hallways of PPCHS. Each student proudly wore a jersey representing their own country or another’s. Senior Anabelle Gomez shared, “It was amazing to see so many students proudly celebrating their heritage and family background.” Many students came together, even borrowing jerseys from one another, to be part of this special day and foster a sense of community within Charter. When the bell rang at the end of the day, students excitedly ran to participate in SHS’s Find the Flag scavenger hunt. Seniors Justin Matthews and Tomas Caraballo were each awarded a $25 Visa gift card for being the winners.
The PPCHS FIFA Tournament is more than just a gaming competition. It unites students through teamwork, excitement, and their shared love for soccer. Teams of two face off in each round, with the winner advancing to the next round, continuing to compete until only two final teams remain. In the championship match, those two teams battle for the ultimate title of FIFA Tournament champions. One of the finalists, Justin Matthew and David Ramos emphasized how, “We joined simply for the passion of the game and ended up meeting new people, talking to new people, and even beat new people. It definitely brought us closer to one another.” Finalist winners of the FIFA Tournament. Juanjose Pazmino and Arjun Nambiar comment how, “It’s amazing to see how soccer is loved all around the world and even celebrated here through the game of FIFA. We’ve always wanted to join a competition like this, so the fact that we tried it out and won really meant something.”
