School District honors Hispanic Heritage Month
District-wide celebration unites varied hispanic cultures
Her words were clear and tempered.
Bradley Elementary School student Danielle Beyer stood before a standing room only audience reciting “I’m Latino Proud.’
The reading was part of the culminating event held in the school’s auditorium to honor Hispanic Heritage Celebration.
“We are trying to highlight the diversity we have in our district,” said Superintendent Lamont Repollet. “This administration started last year with the African American Extravaganza and this year we wanted to do the same thing for the Hispanic community.”
The month-long cultural celebration wrapped up October 15 with the district-wide collaboration but students worked all month to create works of art, dance numbers, musical acts and readings.
“We don’t want any of our students [or parents] to come away thinking we are only honoring one particular culture,” Superintendent Lamont Repollet said. “We are privileged to have a diverse culture here in Asbury Park. It is our job as educators to make sure we really highlight and support that. We want everyone to feel comfortable and that they are a part of this Blue Bishop Spirit.”
Students from Barack Obama, Thurgood Marshall, and Bradley Elementary, joined middle and high school students in presenting the program.
Demalis Roman, a title one associate and Hispanic heritage committee member said each school was charged with creating an original piece for the event.
“The Hispanic community is really growing and it just seemed fair to have something for them,” Roman said. “There are just so many different cultures in the Hispanic Community. We wanted to show the different types of music, a little bit of the flavors we have.
The Barack Obama Elementary School’s ‘Life is a Carnival’ dance number included signs of honoring Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Columbia, Mexico, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
The National Hispanic Heritage Month, runs from September 15 to October 15. During this time the history, culture, and contributions from Americans whose ancestry hails from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean as well as Central and South America is recognized. The observation in 1968 began as a weeklong celebration but was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
“It’s extremely important to recognize our students’ and families’ culture so they know we can relate to them,” said organizer Sonia Velazquez. “Our population is really growing and it’s really important that they know we recognize that.”
Food donations and sponsorship came from Langosta Lounge, Cuban Café, and Tapatia Restaurant. The evening ended with a performance and historic tracing from Mexican Mariachi performer Juan Linares.
“You should be proud of who you are and we want to always make sure we are respecting other individual’s culture, ethnicity and the diversity,” Repollet said.
