From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2024, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated around the country to honor Hispanic and Latino history and culture. It is a month during the year in which the nation shines a spotlight on the many contributions and achievements of Hispanic/Latino Americans.
From Oct. 7 to Oct. 11, 2024, Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) put on a Connection Week in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, hosted by Associated Student Body (ASB).
Melanie ‘Captain’ Lindsey, ASB advisor, commented, “I think it’s important to acknowledge the unique contributions and talents of every single member of the community at Foothill [Tech] so that every student sees that they belong here.”
On the first day of the connection week, flowers were handed out on stage, inspired by Colombia’s flower festival. The festival honors the country’s floral industry and celebrates flowers as symbols of women, fertility and life.
Makenzie Gamble ‘26 stated, “Monday was my personal favorite with all the flowers decorated around the stage.” She continued, “All the different colors and arrangement of the flowers was really nice to see and showcased a glimpse of the beauty within Hispanic culture.”
On Tuesday, students had the opportunity to make Ecuadorian bracelets during lunch on the stage. On this day, ASB chose to highlight Ecuador’s culture in which many wear bracelets or a red string for luck and protection.
The next day, during lunch, students were treated to the traditional game of Lotería. A game in which the players place markers on a card full of various pictures as a cantor draws cards, with the pictures, out of a deck. A table was set up on the stage allowing all students to participate.
On Thursday, students were encouraged to dress up in Western attire or as vaqueros: the original cowboys who originated from Spain. During lunch, a makeshift bull, crafted from a haystack and a skull, was set up in the front of the quad giving students the chance to practice lassoing. Several students joined in the fun, wearing western outfits and cowboy hats. Celeste Nevarez ‘25 shared that vaquero day was her favorite day of the week as it “brought attention to the influence that vaqueros had in our country’s history.”
The final day of the week, ASB chose to celebrate the shared love for fútbol in the Hispanic community by having students wear soccer jerseys. Additionally, at lunch, students could play soccer or just pass around the ball in the quad. The game room was set up for students to participate in a FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) tournament as well.
From flowers to fútbol and lassos to Lotería, ASB put the Hispanic/Latino culture on display within the walls of Foothill Tech during a week dedicated to Hispanic Heritage Month.
