Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15 and BOCES students and staff are honoring it by working on art projects celebrating Hispanic culture and notable Latinos who made significant contributions to history.
On Sept. 19, Salt Point Center (SPC) Spanish Teacher Amy McCann had eighth grade students color in different pieces of portraits of eight prominent Hispanics, including Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and baseball legend Roberto Clemente. They had to use a key to know which colors to use on the portrait pieces including yellow for skin. McCann noted that the idea for this project came from SPC’s new School Counselor Samantha Esposito.
Exploring different ways for schools to highlight cultural appreciation and diversity is how Esposito first learned of the collage project.
“Collages are often used as a creative, visual activity that allows students to connect personally with what they’re learning while also contributing to a shared community project,” Esposito said. “A collage gives every student the opportunity to contribute something meaningful, whether it’s an image, word, or drawing.”
The different pieces will be pieced together into one big mural that will be on display for families to view at the SPC open house on Sept. 30.
“There’s going to be a big mural that all the Spanish classes have contributed to on the wall when all the parents come in,” McCann told her class. “We’re going to contribute some of the bigger parts of the faces.”
Esposito, a Hispanic herself, noted that this project is both interactive and inclusive, so students can see themselves represented in school-wide activities and celebrations, as well as feel a sense of pride in their identity while learning about others. She added that Latino students feel seen and valued in their school community when Hispanic culture is recognized and celebrated because it fosters respect, empathy and inclusivity among students of all backgrounds.
“I know how powerful it can be for students to see role models who look like them and share their cultural background,” Esposito said. “Learning about diverse leaders, artists, scientists and change-makers expands all students’ understanding of history and society, showing them that inspiration and achievement come from many cultures.”
Liam Tripp enjoyed working on this project and looks forward to seeing it all come together. “I liked the colors,” Tripp said.
At the Resilience Academy, McCann is collaborating with Art Teacher Michael Hollick on an art project celebrating Hispanic Heritage that is in the planning stages.
