School Features Article(s):

Hispanic Heritage Event Comes to New Utrecht by Storm!

On October 8th, after period 10 on the fifth floor, a crowd of students were excited and joyful in celebrating this special school event. Two students were dressed up as security guards, one with a charismatic personality to entertain the students while they waited by the double doors and another to ensure the students remained patient while everything was getting set up. Mr. Anthony Leigh, the club advisor, walked around in his El Chavo del Ocho hat—a hat from a famous worldwide Latin American show—ensuring everyone was ready to welcome the students with great anticipation. Behind the scenes, staff members and volunteers were preparing and setting up five rooms for everyone to visit and experience. 

The celebration began when dancers from Los Tecuanes de San Juan Bautista, a Mexican dance group based in Brooklyn, performed a spectacular dance embodying traditional Mexican heritage! This opened the event with something to remember, as their performance captured all the aspects of Hispanic history, which kept the traditional dances alive!  In the first room a person would step foot in “La Cantina”; there were popular Hispanic chips, candy, and drinks.

The Latinx Student Association resembled a meaningful event for Hispanic Heritage Month, which is a month marking the independence of many Latin countries and a time to celebrate and embrace their beautiful cultures and traditions.

The Cantina room had tables covered in white tablecloths, which were arranged for everyone to have a seat and enjoy the delicious food. The room was filled with eager students remembering, learning, and embracing the culture around them. 

Across the hall was the “Salón de Baile,” or the dance room. In this room, the staff members compiled famous Latin American songs from Romeo Santos, bachata, cumbias, and more. Students had fun dancing and moving their feet to the rhythm of the music, elevating the room with a festival-like atmosphere. The room was decorated with lights and a disco ball, creating an immersive space within the beauty of the dance.

The third room was “Juego de la Chancla,” a game room where students threw a chancla (sandal) to hit bottles on a table. The chancla is a typical shoe associated with Latin American culture, for many mothers traditionally use it to discipline children for misbehavior.

The room highlighted the fun within Hispanic culture and how many Hispanic students can relate to it. The fourth room, “Salón de la Cultura,” showcased art, fashion, and festive items from Latin American culture. Mannequins were dressed in beautiful traditional Hispanic clothing and posters (like those of quinceañeras) were hung along the walls. Along with those, a piñata was displayed for everyone to view. The room was filled with joy as students came and went. Volunteers painted students’ faces with flags from their countries, bringing both Hispanic and non-Hispanic cultures together to create a cultural melting pot. In the back corner, a group of teachers and students laughed as they played Lotería—the Hispanic version of bingo. 

The final room “La Tienda,” which featured keychains, signs, stickers, and more for sale, gave students the opportunity to purchase something memorable from the event. La Tienda also housed a photo booth with various hats, props, and flags, which allowed students to pretend they were pageant princesses, represent their country, and capture these moments on their phones. The event concluded with the breaking of a piñata full of candy. Students eagerly took turns hitting it until it finally popped open. Given that this is one of the most beloved traditions of Hispanic celebrations, excitement broke out as everyone rushed to grab the candy that had fallen to the floor.

The planning, organization, and assembly of the event couldn’t have been possible without the help of the Latinx Student Association. These hard working members were Chelsea Contreras Alvay, Boris Sinche, Angel Wu Mo, Jaylynn Perez, Engel Trejo, Kimberly Contreras, Jacqueline Bonilla, Shahrizoda Tairova, and the club advisor, Mr. Leigh.

 A strong sense of teamwork allowed them to invest the right amount of time and resources to make this event a success! The contributions of volunteers were valuable as well.

For more information, contact chelseac161@nycstudents.net and aleigh@schools.nyc.gov to get involved in the club. 

Don’t forget to check out the Latinx Student Association newsletter as well!