Church Street students tour the Spanish-speaking world for Hispanic Heritage Month celebration

Students at Church Street Elementary School took a tour of Latin American and Hispanic countries this morning – all without leaving their school! For their Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, classes visited rooms around the building, where teachers taught them about different countries and led them through activities to celebrate and inform students about various cultures.

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“I feel like it’s important for them to just learn about all the countries that speak Spanish, especially as a dual-language teacher,” said Yokasta Betancourt, a dual-language kindergarten teacher at Church Street. “It’s good to make the connection to all the countries, and then they can also feel the connection when we speak about their country as well. They seem to like it a lot.”

Students were handed passports to start the celebration, before boarding their “flight” around the school. As they visited the different countries, they received passport stamps to commemorate their visits. 

Ms. Betancourt, who planned the event alongside the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee, taught students about Spain throughout the day and led them through a Spanish dance. In the other classes, students learned about Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

After learning about the countries, students did artwork and activities highlighting some of the cultural aspects they learned about. They also talked about celebrations that are held in some of the countries, like the Dominican Republic.

“I learned about the carnival,” said Harrison Mann, a first grader at Church Street. “I really like when they show different kinds of things like scary things and pretty things; I really like that.”

The celebration also opened up Harrison’s mind to seeing more of the world: “I would like to go to Mexico again, but I really want to go to South America,” he said. 

Students also learned about food, animals, music and dancing through the presentations. After learning about Peru, they designed llamas – a popular animal in Peru. By the end of the day, they had a collection of mementos marking all that they have learned about Spanish-speaking countries.

“It’s really cool learning about different countries and getting this passport,” said Rebecca Rishi Samuel, a fourth-grade student who was especially excited to learn about Peru. She has several friends from Peru and would like to learn about their culture to strengthen their bond. 

Students were also treated to a presentation in the auditorium, complete with music, to cap off the celebration. With a passport full of stamps, students ended the day with a greater understanding of Hispanic and Latino countries around the world. 

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