St. Joseph High School Spanish teacher, Mrs. Carina Martinez, helped organize the school's first Hispanic Heritage Night on October 3rd. It was offered to students, parents and St. Joseph Church parishioners as an extension of Hispanic Heritage Month which is set each year for September 15 through October 15. It began nationwide as a one-week celebration of Hispanic and Latino cultures initiated by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. Twenty-years later, President Ronald Reagan extended it to a month-long observance.
Mrs. Martinez's 43 students immersed themselves in the history and traditions of 21 Hispanic-speaking countries and some of the stories behind exceptional Hispanics who've made a difference in our country. This year's theme is "Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together." Food, music and project displays highlighted the evening. Several St. Joseph Church parishioners and members of its school community prepared and served Mexican, Columbian, Italian and Salvadoran food on the high school grounds. Mexican desserts were also made on sight by the locally-owned Las Delicias ice cream shop. Mariachi Arrieros de AR from Little Rock entertained with an ensemble of musicians who play ranchera, the regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century. A few of Mrs. Martinez's students performed Spanish songs and all of them closed out the evening by singing "Como La Flor" ("Like the Flower") made famous by Selena Quintanilla Perez, the "Queen of Tejano Music."
Thanks goes out from Mr
s. Martinez "to my students for all the work they put into making this event successful." She also expressed gratitude to the St. Joseph After School Program for all its donations and support.