Last week, Highland Park concluded their vibrant celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The month featured celebrations of cultural traditions, events planned by Dr Stephenson such as live music from mariachi bands, and video projects done by AP Spanish Seminar students. Highland Park prides itself on being an extremely diverse community evidenced by the dual language program and the high population of Hispanic students enrolled at HPHS.
In the United States itself, there are around 60 million people of Latin origin, making up 18.9% of our country’s total population. From September 15th to October 15th each year, we make a point to celebrate Hispanic and Latino History and culture. This month gives us time to appreciate the strong influence of Hispanic Heritage as it relates to arts, cultural traditions, and media, while highlighting the importance of the many talented Hispanic members within our own community.
The unique timeframe of Hispanic Heritage Month reflects the pursuit of independence by many Central American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, each of which achieved its independence on September 15th. Mexico, Chile, and Belize’s independence days are celebrated in later weeks.
Here at HP, Mr. Cordova’s AP Spanish Seminar classes were asked to create a short video explaining the roots of their unique Hispanic background. These videos were intended to celebrate Hispanic Heritage directly from the perspective of an HPHS student, connecting the holiday directly back to our school community.
The students in the AP Spanish Seminar agreed that they believe that Highland Park does a great job highlighting and recognising the accomplishments of those coming from a Hispanic background. Students said that activities such as mariachi bands, themed cultural items in the cafeteria, and the Latin Dance Club create a more inclusive environment at our school. One student mentioned that some of the best ways Hispanic Heritage is celebrated is done through music, teaching friends about the culture, and parents passing down traditions to kids.
One of Mr Cordova’s favorite ways that Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated at Highland Park is through the music and the activities Dr Stephenson brings.
“These activities encourage students to feel more proud of their culture and who they are,” Cordova said. He described his enjoyment in complementing Dr Stephenson’s activities with his own activities in class. “We do this so students can feel confident in their identity and to bring a more personal side to learning” said Mr. Cordova. “Hispanic Heritage Month means taking away the role of the teacher” and showing his students who he is as a person, through his heritage, culture, and the traditions that his parents passed on.
It is crucial that the contributions of the Hispanic community are represented, as they continue to shape our country. A study done in 2023 by researchers working with John Hopkins Institute found that in a list of 222 important Hispanic topics, only 12% were thoroughly explored in various high school textbooks around the US. Despite a recurring theme of underrepresentation, Highland Park’s various academic courses, activities, clubs, and celebrations have allowed Hispanic culture to flourish. Through our school’s efforts, we can inspire younger generations to continue the celebration of Hispanic heritage, serving as a beacon of diversity in our community.
