Every year, the United States observes National Hispanic Heritage Month from mid-September to mid-October. It is a special time reserved for celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson began recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Week, which was then expanded to a month-long observance in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan.
Hispanic culture has influenced American culture in several ways including music like the work of famous guitarist Carlos Santana, popular dances like the Salsa and Tango, art by famous creators like Pablo Picasso, and of course the delicious food.
Compass Charter Schools (CCS) proudly serves a large population of scholars who are of Hispanic descent. This week we are recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing several different ways that parents can celebrate the observance with their scholars.
Music
Music is a central part of many Hispanic cultures for special occasions and everyday life. It is an important part of expression in Hispanic culture, and is often used to tell stories and celebrate life. There are a few musical instruments that are commonly found in many traditional Hispanic songs like a guitar, violin, maracas, trumpet and the Vihuela. The sounds of traditional Hispanic music have evolved and influence pop culture today.
Vanessa Plascencia, CCS Enrollment Coordinator, is of Mexican descent and is truly passionate about Hispanic music. “My grandparents were born in Mexico and came to California in the late 1950s. They worked very hard as field workers while raising their five daughters, including my aunt who launched the very first Spanish-language radio station in Oxnard, CA. Today, that radio station is a successful broadcasting company with various stations throughout the state of California,” Vanessa shared.
We encourage scholars and their parents to celebrate by listening to different styles of Hispanic music like Salsa, Bachata or Tango songs. Scholars and their families can also work together to learn about famous Hispanic music artists like Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan. Lastly, one of the most exciting ways to celebrate Hispanic music is by creating your own music using some of the popular instruments.
Food
Food plays an important role in many Hispanic communities. In fact, in some Hispanic cultures a good appetite is associated with good health. Traditionally the women in most Hispanic communities did the cooking but today that tradition is changing. Food is often used to bring families and friends together for special occasions or just everyday meals. When learning about Hispanic food, it’s important to know that each culture has its own signature dishes and unique style of cooking. For example, Benjamin Caudillo, CCS Enrollment Advisor, is of Mexican descent and his favorite Mexican dish is called, sopes, which consists of a thick, hand-made tortilla topped with beans, meat, lettuce, salsa and cheese. Dario Eminente, whose family is from Argentina, is another CCS Enrollment Advisor who enjoys homemade Argentine Empanadas.
Cooking with scholars is a great way to help them learn about Hispanic cultures. Consider taking the time to research popular Hispanic dishes and creating them at home with your scholars. The time spent cooking can also be used to introduce children to new ingredients, flavors, tastes and smells. During the cooking process they can also practice math and science as they measure and mix ingredients!
Reading
As we previously mentioned, it’s important for parents to take the time to read aloud with their children. Well-written stories about diverse people are a wonderful way to help children learn about other cultures and develop a high level of acceptance for diversity. During Hispanic Heritage Month we encourage our parents to read books with their children that were written by Hispanic authors or tell stories about Hispanic culture.
There are countless books available, including picture books and chapter books, that parents can read with their children to celebrate Hispanic culture. Popular picture books include “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña and “Maya’s Blanket” by Monica Brown. While reading these books with scholars, consider occasionally stopping to ask them questions and guide their understanding. Reading about Hispanic cultures is also an amazing way to introduce the Spanish language to children and can help parents learn the basics of the language too.
Compass Charter Schools (CCS) is proud to support a large community of Hispanic scholars, parents and staff. We encourage all scholars to share their cultures with our staff and with each other. Our staff is passionate about helping scholars and their families learn about a wide variety of cultures to help them build tolerance and acceptance for diversity.
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Compass Charter Schools (CCS) is a WASC-accredited virtual charter school that serves families throughout California. Interested in learning more about CCS’ flexible academic programs? Visit our website, or contact our enrollment team at enrollment@compasscharters.org or (877) 506-8631.