A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

It's been an exciting National Hispanic Heritage Month at EA as students celebrated the culture and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

This year, the Middle and Upper School Hispanic Latinx Student Alliance and World Language Department collaborated to offer weekly activities throughout the month. Students participated in Hispanic Heritage Month trivia, earning Mexican sweets and stickers in Spanish as prizes. They also made their own quitapesares ("worry dolls"), a tradition from Guatemala and Mexico where people place the dolls under their pillows to sleep with a clear mind.

Middle and Upper School students enjoyed playing Lotería, a game similar to Bingo, in which they identified common items in Spanish to win. Middle Schoolers also created ojos de Dios, colorful crafts traditionally used in Mexico for spiritual protection. Students in both divisions also participated in a lively and festive salsa dancing lesson in the Connelly Courtyard.

In the Lower School, students explored Hispanic heritage in engaging ways. Kindergarteners learned about and wrote mini biografías in Spanish about Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, while 1st and 2nd graders explored the life of the Argentinian professional soccer player Leo Messi, writing mini biographies and "autobiographies" in Spanish from his perspective.

Students also recognized notable Hispanic figures and their respective contributions during divisional Chapel services in the Class of 1944 Chapel.

SAGE Dining even joined in on the festivities, offering a range of delicious Hispanic cuisine throughout the month including chicken tinga tostadas, arroz congri, and charro beans to street corn salad, ropa vieja, vegetable enchiladas, roasted poblano and corn soup, house-made tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa verde, tortas al pastor, and more.

Since 1989, Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated in the United States annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The start date marks the independence anniversaries of five Hispanic countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.