Harpeth Hall celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month

Born in Madrid, Spain, 5th grade student Maia Vidaurreta grew up with dual nationality and two passports, embracing both cultures. At Harpeth Hall’s National Hispanic Heritage Month all-school assembly celebration, Maia had the opportunity to share some of her favorite Spanish traditions, including Los Reyes Magos, a holiday on Jan. 6 that sees kids receiving gifts from the three wise men.

National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, recognizes the contributions, culture, and history of the Latinx community. 

"In the last several years, the Hispanic population in Nashville has grown tremendously. They now make up 14% of our city's population, and roughly a hundred thousand Hispanic people call Nashville their home,” 8th grade student Sofia Lehman-Grimes said while highlighting the importance of recognizing the contributions of the Latinx community to Nashville.

Harpeth Hall’s observation of National Hispanic Heritage Month continued throughout campus in the last few weeks as Spanish classes shared Hispanic history and culture with the school through storytelling, art, music, and dance. 

“The Hispanic Heritage Month assembly provides an opportunity for all students to learn about the diversity within Hispanic cultures, appreciate the impact Hispanic individuals have had on history, art, science, politics, and more, and promote inclusivity and respect among all students for cultures that are not their own,” middle school Spanish teacher Samantha Wilson explained.

What makes this assembly so special, however, is that it is entirely student-led.

“Having the assembly run by students is important because it encourages student engagement, leadership, and ownership of the celebration. When students are directly involved in planning and presenting the assembly, it becomes more meaningful for the entire school community,” Ms. Wilson said. “Students from Hispanic backgrounds get the opportunity to showcase their heritage, share their personal stories, and highlight the importance of their culture.”

Plus, it presents a unique opportunity for students to showcase what they learn in their classes with the entire student body.

In 5th grade Spanish classes, students studied the history of Peru, including Peruvian quipu, an ancient counting system used by Incan tribes. Incans created quipu out of string and tied knots. Since they didn’t have the means to write, the knots were used to keep track of days, livestock, food, and more. Families would pass down their counting system throughout generations. Students crafted their own quipu and displayed them in Harpeth Hall’s gallery.

Sixth grade Spanish classes researched Ojos de Huichol, ritual tools made out of strings of different colors that represent God’s eye and are meant to protect the defenseless, such as children, created by the Huicholes, an Indigenous community in Mexico. It is customary to make an Ojo de Huichol to commemorate the birth of a child, and each color has a special meaning according to the Huichol cosmology. The 6th grade made their own Ojo de Huichol and displayed them for their peers during assembly. 

In the upper school, Spanish I and II classes learned about influential people from different Spanish-speaking countries, their impact on their communities, and their contributions to American culture and society. During the assembly, 9th grade student Kate Kesting shared research on two popular icons, Dominican-born American fashion designer Óscar Arístides Ortíz de la Renta Fiallo, better known as Óscar de la Renta, and Úrsula Hilaria Celia Caridad de la Cruz Alfons, or Celia Cruz, the Cuban-American singer known as “The Queen of Salsa Music.”

If you visit Cheekwood, you will be able to see the contributions of Harpeth Hall’s Spanish Club as it helped to create decorations for Cheekwood’s Día de Muertos festival, which takes place Nov. 2-3. Juniors Evan Nisbet and Bea Robbins, both AP Spanish Language and Culture students in Ms. Gonzalez's class, led the creative effort.

On Harpeth Hall’s campus, the club is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with movies, cooking, mural making, and with others during the all-school assembly. 

“This assembly fosters a vibrant atmosphere, creating a strong sense of community among the students,” middle school Spanish teacher Katie King said. “I hope everyone left feeling joyful from the dancing, inspired by the biographies of influential Hispanic figures, and motivated by the Spanish students' presentations.”

Ms. Wilson agrees. She hopes that students left the assembly “with a deeper knowledge and appreciation for different cultures around the world. …I hope students connect with and learn through the personal experiences of their classmates.”