School-Wide Activities to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is held annually from September 15 to October 15. The month is set aside to honor the contributions of Hispanic Americans who are descendants of people from Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson designated a week of commemoration called Hispanic Heritage Week. Later, President Reagan extended the time period to a month and renamed the observance National Hispanic Heritage Month. Schools can choose from a plethora of activities to recognize the importance of the Hispanic community.
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School-Wide Bazaar
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Enlist the aid of the parent-teacher association and present a school-wide bazaar. Feature Hispanic foods such as quesadillas, sopapillas, chips, salsa and guacamole. Offer booths where students can enjoy different cultural dances, such as the Mexican Hat Dance, Fandango or Paso Doble. Purchase or make a piñata with candy and prizes and allow students to take a swipe at it until the piñata breaks. Show students how to make different Hispanic crafts, such as paper bag ponchos or papel picado banners.
Assembly
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Host an assembly to showcase Hispanic contributions in the community. Invite Mariachi musicians and dancers to perform. Ask a local Hispanic storyteller to spin tales about local Hispanic folklore and history. Request key Hispanic members in your town such as politicians, business leaders and artists to present short presentations on obstacles they have overcome to achieve success. Introduce the Spanish language through a bilingual play or other art form.
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Celebrate Independence Day
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Celebrate the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month with a celebration of independence. Many Hispanic countries achieved independence either on September 15 or 16, including Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Have older students contrast America's fight for independence with one of these countries in a story. Assign each student the task of creating an independence poster showcasing one of these countries and display it in the school.
Adopt a Country
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At the beginning of the month, have each student choose a South or Central American country. Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, assign students tasks such as making a paper flag of the country, writing a story about famous Americans who immigrated from this country or activities the United States have adopted from the native land. Toward the end of the month, host a dress-up day during which students don attire representing the country they chose. Invite parents and present a school-wide parade so students can march with their flags through the school.
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