This past weekend, from November 1st to 2nd, people around the world celebrated El Día de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead. This Mexican holiday is a time to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away. Rather than being a sad occasion, it’s a joyful celebration of life, filled with color, music, and tradition.
During Día de los Muertos, families often build ofrendas (altars) decorated with photos, candles, flowers, food, and other items that were special to the person being remembered. Many also visit cemeteries to clean and decorate graves, leave offerings, and share stories about their loved ones.
To participate in the celebration, Spanish 3 students at our school created projects to honor someone who had passed away. For this project, students built ofrendas using small cardboard boxes or shoeboxes. They were encouraged to use recycled materials or items they already had at home instead of purchasing anything new. Students could choose to honor a famous person, a family member, or even a pet.
According to Mrs. O’Brien, “Most students chose to honor a loved one or pet that they have lost.” She also shared, “I’m really proud of the participation this year along with the overall growth in the Spanish classes.”
Students embraced the project as a fun and creative challenge, producing some truly amazing ofrendas. A friendly class competition was also held. The winners in 3rd period were Brody Olds, Gabby Chapman, and Molly Driscoll. In 5th period, the winners were Mackenzie French, Mackenzie Gedamoske, Sadie Jones, Jaymes Ronalds, and Isabelle McClusky.
The project helped students learn about the cultural importance of the holiday while giving them a meaningful way to connect with its traditions and express their creativity. As Mrs. O’Brien said, “Teaching a language isn’t just about the language—it’s about teaching the culture.”
