GHS NEws

Señora Falkenburg hula-hoops with Bonnie Wilson at Carnaval. Photo by A'nya Strazdins.

Spanish/French host Carnaval Event

Reporter Lilly Robinson

Ever wondered what it's like to be a part of a major event like Mardi Gras in a small town like Gloucester? Local Spanish teachers Señora Ramos, Señora Falkenburg and local French Teacher Monsieur Ashworth gathered up there French and Spanish club students to throw a semi-authentic version of what we know as carnival.

The event started around 3:30pm in the Duke Rock Cafe and lasted for about 3 hours on its own. At the start of the event, guest speakers spoke about their experience of mardi gras. We proceeded to watch a three minute clip explaining more of the traditions of the mardi gras and its traditions and then got on with the carnival.

There were multiple activities to partake in, outside of the main event. One of the most popular activities was the Hula hooping contest. There was also face painting, a place to make your own mardi gras mask, salsa dancing, authentic foods to eat, and at the very end of the event, the teacher with the most cash in their jar got a pie to the face.

“We tried to make it as authentic as possible, but we were very limited with what we could work with,” local Spanish teacher at Gloucester High School Señora Ramos states, “The only thing that was 100% authentic was the food selection, but we tried the best we could to make it as authentic as possible. It was also really hot in the Duke Rock Cafe.”

Some of the main questions that was directed at this event was “Why did you put this event together?”

“We wanted to spread awareness of Mardi Gras to smaller towns and we wanted to educate kids in a fun, interactive way so they could enjoy it” Señora Ramos says.

This was the first year that there was a small downscale version of Mardi Gras In Gloucester High School. “Mardi Gras is something that happens in both French and Spanish speaking countries” says Señora Ramos, “it's a was for our French and Spanish club to Collaborate,” and According to the Spanish and french club they plan to have many more Mardi Gras throughout the years.