As all GHAA students and faculty know, it’s Hispanic Heritage Month! Even if you’re not staying updated on the daily trivia (cough me cough cough), everyone is welcome at GHAA’s Hispanic Heritage Night celebration. Personally, I’m an old-timer, so there’s no question as to if I’m going. However, if this year’s is your first, you might not know what to expect. You might be intimidated or think there’s nothing worth seeing. To that, I say, don’t be, and stop being a hater, respectively. You may not even know when it is, or what it is. To that, I say, October 24th from 5:00 to 7:30 – and if you don’t know what it is, that’s what this article is for! So, what’s so cool about Hispanic Heritage Night? The teachers love to say, “You’ll have to come and see for yourself,” but I’ll do my best to fill you in.
We start the evening off with workshops. There are usually three rooms, each focused on a different Latin country. This is the more educational part of the night, teaching about the history and culture of each country along with some fun activities. These activities are usually arts and crafts, but I know Mrs. Breen is always ready to bring out her drum and spontaneously dance. She’s also been recruiting kids to do temporary tattoos of Taino symbols, so keep an eye out for them.
Then the main event of the night, what people really come for: student performances. There’s always the same general lineup – dancing, singing, instrumentalists – but what’s actually being performed?? T’will remain a mystery. Once upon a time there were rumors that there would be professional performers. Just rumors, they were. However you may feel about that, the myth has now been busted. Bringing our attention back to our students, Miss Melissa has been ushering in a new age of stilt walkers at GHAA in her Carnival Arts class, and this semester’s batch may be making an appearance at Hispanic Heritage Night. It’s a sight to see, and you can see it! On October 24 from 5:00 to 7:30! As someone who’s been up there, it becomes 10 times more terrifying when the halls are filled with crowds, so if you see an abnormally tall person coming towards you, please clear a path. (Unless it’s Mr. Martin. Actually, especially if it’s Mr. Martin. You know he gets nervous.)
As for music, as Oh My GHAA’s resident orchestra kid, I can confirm that we will be playing… something. The wind ensemble may also be playing… something. More to come. We can always expect Mr. Jeff, usually accompanied by a large swarm of students, with an exciting drumming display. Everyone’s favorite performance is Mr. Jeff and his annual dance with a mom. Does your mom dance? Does she like to embarrass you? It may be her lucky night. From the Musical Theater department, students of Mr. Thomas Beebe will be presenting some slides featuring underappreciated Latino performers. This year we’ll also be welcoming some creative writers; GHAA junior Jess Santos will be reading a poem of hers, and I, for one, am very excited to incorporate all art forms in our school celebrations.
Then the ACTUAL main event of the night, what people REALLY come for: the food. This is genuinely the best part of the night, especially when you’ve had a long day of attending classes, setting up the event, and performing beforehand. My favorite thing is always the chicken empanadas, but with a huge table packed with dishes, there’s something for everyone. If you’re vegetarian, do not fret, because the rice is insane as well. I always get seconds, and people will be scooping the leftover juices from chicken and every last grain of rice. Like, the food is good.
So come to Hispanic Heritage Night, say it with me, on October 24 from 5:00 to 7:30!