Jackson-Reed celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with halls adorned with decor. Across the city, festivals, live musical performances, and traditional folk dance filled out the event calendar. Hispanic Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15, celebrates the independence days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
At Jackson-Reed, a slew of Spanish teachers lead the charge at a school no stranger to cultural events. “To me, Hispanic Heritage Month means the celebration of heritage and a reminder to the whole community in the United States that we Hispanics are an important part of the country,” Spanish teacher Susana Martinez Rincon said.
“Hispanic Heritage Month is when we have the opportunity to show people how proud we are of being Hispanic,” senior student lead for Unión Latina Mariapaz Balseca said. “It is the only month where we can highlight our culture, language, and accents because not everyone comes from the same place. There are 21 different Hispanic countries, each with its own unique cultures, foods, values, and accents.”
The library featured books by Hispanic authors while the Cuban, Argentinian, and Puerto Rican flags lined the entrance. “We are specifically highlighting poets and filmmakers that we think will be most useful to students interested in Latino history,” library tech aide Camille Ross said. “Our selection in Spanish is available for those who are interested in reading!”
Balseca organized the largest event, the Hispanic Heritage Month soccer tournament. She intended to create a competition to “share the excitement that us Latinos experienced playing and watching soccer while growing up.” The tournament was a smash.
“Soccer is part of our life and culture; whenever we get together with family, we play soccer or watch soccer if our favorite team is playing,” Balseca said.
The games began on September 25. Fourteen teams squared off in two group stages, and each match lasted 10 minutes.
The winners of games earned three points, ties gave both teams one point, and a loss counted for zero points. With games scheduled for each Wednesday and Friday following the first kickoff, the two teams with the most points advanced out of the preliminary stage and competed in the semifinals. The final game was played on October 11.
The tournament was organized in conjunction with JR’s very own Unión Latina, which operates to support, connect, and celebrate Latino students throughout the school year. “The month is at the beginning of the year, so lots of people came and joined Unión,” senior student lead Ema Blanco said. “Celebrating our culture during reunions on Thursdays at lunch each week in room 223 is what we plan to do for the whole school year for Unión Latina!”
