From September 15 to October 15, Rye Country Day marked Latine History Month (often referred to as Hispanic Heritage Month). This annual school-wide celebration recognizes individuals whose heritage derives from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central and South America. Through a variety of activities in each division, students learned about the many ways Latine individuals have enriched our nation and culture as entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, entertainers, scientists, public servants, and much more.
Below are a few examples of LHM celebrations across campus.
LOWER SCHOOL
At Lower School Community Meeting, fourth graders gave an overview about Latine Heritage Month and the nations and heritages it includes. Third graders also presented their papel picado, a traditional Mexican craft that features colorful paper sheets with intricate cut-out details.
RCDS librarians, Jay Fung and Jen Devito, curated a selection of books by Latine authors for the community to enjoy. The selection included both fiction and non fiction titles by well and lesser-known authors.
Titles included: The Diary of Frida Kahlo and Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García, as well as picture books from the Latine diaspora for our younger students such as Islandborn by Junot Díaz and Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Seventh graders in Sra. Bustamante’s Spanish class learned about dishes from the world’s 21 Spanish-Speaking countries. As part of this engaging project, each student researched a country and a corresponding dish and shared their learning with classmates.
At Middle School Community Meeting, eighth graders in Sra. Rosenzweig’s Spanish class presented their projects honoring notable Latine individuals who have made significant and positive contributions to our world. Working in the Makerspace, students created decorative placards featuring images and quotes from a Latine trailblazer and symbols representing their Latinx/Hispanic heritage and their impact.
Students in Ms. Rosenzweig’s class also participated in a fun "salsa" dancing class.
To close out Latine Heritage Month in the Middle School, tenth grader Camila Reyna read her I Am From poem and discussed her Latine heritage at Middle School Community Meeting. This was a culmination of the poem project developed by the Middle School Social Justice coordinators, Ian Coupe and Holly Hutcheson. In advisory on October 18, Middle Schoolers wrote their own I am From poems, which was an activity aimed at celebrating each and every students’ heritage.
UPPER SCHOOL
The Upper School’s Hispanic/Latine Cultural Club (HLCC) hosted a DOMINOES tournament. The tournament was held through the lunch-and-learn series Wildcats Around the World, as HLCC leaders taught students and employees how to play and offered prizes to tournament winners. Upper School students also learned about Latine Music genres and their African, Indigenous, and European origins in advisory.
The Students of Color affinity group hosted a special celebration of Latine Heritage Month at their first meeting of the year. The event featured SOC leaders opening the year with community-building activities for new and returning students, capping off the meeting with a series of stations for students to engage with each other for Latine Heritage Month. Students rotated through stations where they could play games like loteria and dominoes, learn how to dance salsa and bachata, or draw and design flags from Latin American countries.