On Friday, Oct. 3, the Upper School celebrated its annual Hispanic Heritage Month Assembly. Co-hosted by the Diversity Council and the Spanish Club, the event highlighted aspects of Hispanic culture, including dance, food, family, and more. The assembly educated the community and recognized the importance of Hispanic heritage, both in America and across the world.
The Diversity Council and the Spanish Club collaborated to plan the specifics of the assembly. Both groups put lots of effort into creating an interactive and interesting presentation on Hispanic culture.
Student Council President, Liam Duffy, outlined his goal for this assembly: “We really wanted to emphasize the growing impact on modern life that the Hispanic-American community has had.”
“I learned about the local Hispanic businesses and the importance of being proud of your heritage,” shared senior Sofia Balestreri.
The assembly was opened by a performance from two Benjamin Dazzlers, seniors Bryce Seger and Catalina Sanchez.
“Bryce and I performed a Cumbia, which is a traditional Colombian dance. The song was La Pollera Colorá,” explained Sanchez.
This dance introduced the students and dancers to music and costumes that were completely unique to Hispanic heritage. “I really enjoyed learning the folk dance because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever done. I’m not Colombian, so getting to experience a different part of Hispanic culture was really interesting for me. Our performance also won second place at the Spanish State Conference last year,” shared Sanchez.
After this performance, members of the Diversity Council and Spanish Club shared the history of Hispanic Heritage Month, presented brief biographies on a few famous Hispanic figures, and had a Hispanic student, Isabella Anthon, share more information about her family and culture.
“We covered singer Bad Bunny’s rise to fame and his controversial upcoming Super Bowl performance. We also told the stories of past historical figures, such as Cesar Chavez. It is really important to us that these stories are heard, especially in this world that grows more and more divided with each passing day,” stated Duffy.
Isabella Anthon, the student speaker, is originally from Argentina and shared her family traditions and heritage with the student body.
The Hispanic Heritage Month Assembly was followed up with a Hispanic food tasting the next Friday, October 10. It culminated in Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations with a true taste of the culture and people that define being Hispanic.
Duffy shared more about the event, “We handed out various cultural foods donated by TBS families, such as build-your-own tacos, churros, arepas, guava pastelitos, and more. The assortment was met with great excitement, having served over two hundred students.”
Hispanic Heritage Month was thoroughly appreciated at The Benjamin School. Students were not only educated about the month but also got to experience the culture and food firsthand. Happy celebrating to all; we hope this month brings you joy and pride!
