Best of the Week 2022-2023: Teaching to the Future

STUDENT LEADERS LAUNCH MONTH-LONG PROGRAMMING TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Members of the St. Ed's French Club, S.A.L.S.A. (Spanish and Latino Student Association), and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (Spanish Honor Society) have teamed up to create opportunities all month long to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. On September 14, St. Ed's kicked off the celebration with free piraguas (Hispanic shaved ice) to the community. During the week of September 26, St. Ed's will be hosting a World Cup-inspired Soccer Tournament and Bake Sale to raise money for Esperanza, Inc. to create scholarships for the Hispanic community of Cleveland to advance themselves in higher education and leadership roles. Other Hispanic opportunities and events include field trips, an all-school mass in Spanish, a movie night & Mofongo experience.

"As a Spanish tutor, I want our Edsmen to understand that it's not just a language that we're learning, but groups of distinct cultures with unique histories and faces," says Waverly Sisson. "This Hispanic Heritage Month, I hope we can come together to educate ourselves and uplift and celebrate our Hispanic community. 'There are so many borders that divide people, but for each border there's also a bridge.'"

"As a leader in both S.A.L.S.A. and Spanish National Honor Society, I have the honor and privilege of sharing the incredibly rich and diverse Hispanic culture with our community," says Will Gonzalez '23. "Hispanic Heritage Month is definitely central to that idea, and I'm excited for our kick-off celebration after school on Wednesday with free piraguas for the community. Throughout the month, we plan to have multiple events to showcase our Spanish student programming, including a soccer tournament, a movie night and a Hispanic mixer."

"Each year, the St. Edward community continues to grow in its diversity and what that means for us is that we continue to find creative ways to celebrate, honor and appreciate the various cultures that make us a strong community," says James Knight, VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. "Over the next four weeks, we have the privilege to practice cultural humility by honoring and bringing awareness to the many wonderful contributions that have come from the Latinx community."