Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Under the Pines

September 15 through October 15 marks the month-long celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which recognizes and honors the rich history, cultural diversity, and contributions from Hispanic and Latino communities. Here under the pines, all three divisions are and will enjoy various activities and programming including a high energy, lively performance by musical guests The Hartt Salsa All-Stars during assembly time.

The assembly was organized by the efforts of junior Raquel Figueroa-Crespo and the Hispanic and Latino Student Union (HLSU). Founded in 2022, The Hartt Salsa All-Stars are the first ensemble from the University of Hartford to be devoted exclusively to New York-style salsa music. Raquel noted that she first saw The Hartt Salsa All-Stars at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas over the summer and knew the group would be a great choice for the assembly.

“It's really exciting to me that they are visiting because the songs they perform are the ones I grew up listening to growing up in a Puerto Rican household,” said Raquel. “I'm really excited that they are getting an opportunity to share this piece of our culture with the Hamden Hall Community during our assembly.”

Throughout the month, there will be different activities and projects happening across campus and in the classrooms. Lower School Spanish teacher Marie Buenger hosted an array of activities for her students. In Grade 4, students had a guacamole testing while Grade 2 created a Peruvian-inspired art project titled Llama Guirland. Students will watch videos to learn about the Flamenco, a Spanish dance, and learn about Frida Khalo while engaging in a virtual tour of her house. Students will also create art decorations called Papel Picado, which is made by cutting elaborate designs into folded tissue paper.

Middle School Spanish teacher Jill McLeavy began introductions to Hispanic Heritage Month in the Spanish A and Spanish 2 classes. The discussions will continue throughout the month with a focus on Latino leaders. Upper School Spanish teacher Adriana Alcina Gomez and students in her Spanish 5H class will explore the roles and projects of the National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, D. C. The students will look at the geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity of Hispanic countries around the world, with a special focus on the way Spanish-speaking nations and cultures come together to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day.  

Additionally, students in Ms. Gomez’s AP Spanish class will be researching famous Hispanic artists and historical figures, along with their legacies, to showcase in a special presentation. The students will also be researching local Connecticut events that celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. They will examine the influence of Latino culture in the United States, from music, cinema, and art to sports, gastronomy, and cultural traditions and celebrations. Upper School Spanish teacher Julie Sanza-Calder and her students are spending class time discussing Cuba and the contrast between experiences for citizens versus tourists. Specifically, the discussion will focus on the experience of emigration from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean to the United States due to these differences, with help from some excerpts from the novel Cuando era puertorriqueña by Esmeralda Santiago.