ROCKFORD, Ill (WREX) — Students at Whitehead Elementary School have been celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a series of cultural activities.
Principal Paula Randall said, “We’ve dressed up like different countries, we’ve done crafts in the hallway, and really just done everything around our Hispanic heritage here at Whitehead Elementary.”
According to Randall, the celebration honors the heritage of many students, with 54 percent of the school identifying as bilingual.
The month-long celebration concluded with an assembly featuring cultural performances and live dancing. Randall said, “Dancing is universal. Our kids love music. They love dancing. And being able to see another culture represent that is just amazing.”
Faculty and staff explained the roles of dancers and the significance of costumes to the students. The students also learned a bit of salsa dancing.
Randall emphasized the importance of these celebrations, saying, “Our kiddos see lots of different cultures all day long, and we want to teach them to be accepting and loving of everyone, be friends with everyone. And so it’s important to teach them their heritage and where all of our students come from.”
The assembly ended with students voting on their favorite Hispanic song. Shakira’s “Waka Waka This Time for Africa” won over “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma.
