Spanish Classes Salute the Departed

Images of basketball great Kobe Bryant, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and music legend Lou Reed adorned a colorful altar in room 309 of Masters Hall. 

The altar was created by upper school students in Andrea Rodas-Stork's and Roberto Mercedes’ Spanish classes to honor Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, on Monday, November 2. 

“We started to celebrate Día de Muertos at Masters three years ago. Now this 3000 yearslong tradition is part of our Spanish program and school,” said Mercedes. “We had remarkable involvement and proactive participation in this collective project.”

The traditional Mexican holiday honors the dearly departed with decorative altars filled with food, photos, memorabilia and marigolds. Family and friends come together to celebrate, not mourn, those who are gone. 

“Though I did not celebrate Día de Muertos in my own family or culture growing up, it is an important celebration for many Latinxs in the U.S., Mexico, as well as in Central and South America. For me, teaching Spanish is incomplete without teaching the cultures of the diverse people who speak this language, and so it goes without saying that this was part of my curriculum!” explained Rodas-Stork.

Students found meaning and comfort in the assignment. "I participated in this event not only to learn, but to turn the pain of my grandfather's recent passing into a celebration of his outstanding years,” said Ian Stein ’23.

“It was beautiful to see the altar filled with so many photos, and to listen to some of the memories my classmates shared with their deceased family members. I memorialized my grandma, Lillian Schiciano. She had a great sense of humor, and we had a very strong relationship,” said Hanna Schiciano ’23.
 
“I contributed a collage of pictures honoring John Lewis who died recently. He was a very significant civil rights activist and has accomplished so much during his lifetime. I knew I wanted to commemorate him at the altar, so everyone can remember his braveness and willingness to fight for equality,” added Hannah Florian ’23.

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