Students celebrated their Hispanic heritage through various activities as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The event celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher Elena Zavala marked the event by having her fifth grade English Language Learners (ELL) at Wea Ridge Elementary School travel virtually to all Spanish speaking countries. The students researched different famous Hispanic figures, their countries and customs. The students gave presentations on different individuals including a singer, an artist and an actress. Other students highlighted the accomplishments and background of famous athletes like soccer player Leo Messi and baseball player Roberto Clemente.

Third and fourth grade ELL students at Wea Ridge did a similar project where they created their “Passport” to explore different countries. They learned about each country’s capital, currency, landmarks, as well as bordering countries.

“I loved seeing their facial expressions when I showed them images of other countries and having them say I want to go there someday!" Zavala said. “It is rewarding for me to hear they have goals to travel, explore and learn about other countries.”