BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Hispanic Heritage Month brings vibrancy to Kinkaid

By Eshaan Mani, The Kinkaid School, School Buzz Reporter | October 13, 2023

Click the Buzz Me button to receive email notifications when this writer publishes a new article or a new article in this column is published.

Spanish teacher Ms. Vanessa Zamudio-Lara hands out Mexican paletas (popsicles) at the Hispanic Heritage Month "fiesta" for students.

When you walk into Kinkaid’s Wheless Lobby this month, you’ll be greeted by two elegant, traditional quinceañera dresses, one in baby blue and the other in light pink.

This assemblage was set out as part of Viva La Raza’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations on campus. The month honors the cultures and contributions of Hispanic Americans and takes place from Sep. 15 to Oct. 15 each year.

"It seems to me that any event that showcases all the things that certain people have in common within their rich diversity should be a great opportunity for all of us to celebrate,” Spanish teacher Mr. Jose Narbona said.

The celebrations started with a faculty breakfast set out in the Ogilvie Lobby of the Katz Arts Building. Traditional and fusion delicacies like tres leches oatmeal and pan dulce were on offer, along with trays of fruits and pitchers of juices, water and coffee. Faculty of all backgrounds enjoyed the delicacies.

Junior Marisa Boué enjoys her Jarritos soda and snacks at the Hispanic Heritage Month "fiesta" for students.

A celebration for students took place on Sept. 27. A wide variety of sweet and savory delicacies, each labeled with their Spanish name, an English explanation and their country of origin, were on offer, including tostones from Venezuela, tamarind candies from Mexico and plantain chips from Colombia.

“I always look forward to this day!” sophomore Cate Schmidt said.

The festivities extended to the classroom, too. Each year to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, or “Mes de La Raza,” Ms. Vanessa Zamudio-Lara has her Spanish III Honors students present on a cultural phenomenon from a Spanish-speaking country.

The purpose of this project, she said, is to educate students about a facet of the culture they are studying that they did not know before.

On-level Spanish classes also conduct various projects during this month to gain a better cultural understanding of the Spanish-speaking world. Spanish I students research a specific food, Spanish II students present about a famous historical or present-day figure and Spanish III students present about real-world challenges facing Spanish-speaking countries.