Teachers, students and families have been coming together at one Fort Worth elementary school for the last 30 years to celebrate Hispanic heritage and highlight the contributions Latinos have made in literature, science, history and the arts. It started when Eddie Arellano, then fresh out of college at the University of North Texas, noticed a lack of representation in educational content and proposed a student-led educational project that would include students from every classroom. Since then it has grown into a community-wide tradition. “Now with technology, I believe we are seeing more of an emphasis on multiculturalism,” he said. “We didn’t really see a lot of that in our textbooks or in the media.”
With Dolores Huerta Elementary being a dual-language school, Arellano said that was unacceptable. “I think that is the responsibility we have as educators, to make sure that the students see themselves in society in a very positive light,” he said. “And also to feel that they are part of this country and they can contribute to this country.”
The project is fitting for the school, whose namesake is an American labor and civil rights activist who, along with Cesar Chavez, co-founded the National Farmworkers Association. The organization is now called United Farm Workers. Students and teachers choose a project each year that incorporates lessons students are learning already, connecting the content to the students heritage.
PERSONAL CONNECTIONS
Marisol Herrera, a fourth-grade teacher, worked with students this year to explore the properties of traditional Mexican toys, including baleros (a cup and ball game), yo-yos, trompos (a Mexican top) and tablitas, which is similar to Jacob’s ladder. “Usually I try to do something that ties into the standard that we are learning in the classroom,” she said. “So this year I decided to do a science investigation where we are learning about force.
Students learned about how forces like gravity and friction interacted with the different toys to make them work. They noted physical properties, drew diagrams and presented their findings in an exhibit in the hallway. “Gravity works to pull this down,” Lliemy Barbosa, a student, said while demonstrating tablitas. Herrera said that the museum project has engaged students in subjects that are often taught in a way that is removed from students’ lives. “We could have used any toys, or any items,” she said. “But the fact that we used something that has a connection to not just the real world, but to our culture and our families -- I think that takes it up to that level of science is in my home. Not just in a home, but it is in my home. Science is part of my culture.” Iker Ortiz, who is also in Herrera’s class, said the museum is something he looks forward to every year, although it was interrupted due to the coronavirus last year. The project is also an opportunity for parents to become involved in the learning process, interacting with students and teachers to share their experiences, recipes and history to be incorporated into the projects. Jovanna Ocegueda, a fifth-grade teacher, combined history and science by working with her students to create floating gardens using the same techniques as the Aztecs. “The students are more engaged, especially after these few years that some have been out of school,” she said. “They are really enjoying being able to talk to their peers and not being muted the whole time.” Like Herrera, Ocegueda said students are able to connect to the content on a more personal level through the museum project. Pre-K students in multiple classes read books and recreated family-trees and explored genealogy, while students in several grades researched the relevance of Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter known for her self-portraits. Yolanda Darden, the art teacher for the district, said that over the years, the project has helped students to realize their potential. “Being able to go to a museum, being able to see images that are painted or drawn by people that look like you is important, because that doesn’t put any limits on what you want to do,” she said. “It is about them seeing themselves in a positive manner and saying ‘one day, I could do that.’”
HONORABLE MENTION AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ms. Romero’s PreKinder Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos project
Ms. Duryee’s 2nd Grade Frida Kahlo Self-Portraits project
Ms. Chavez’s 5th Grade Taste of Our Hispanic Heritage project
Ms. Gomez RISE Celebrating Differences project
MOST CREATIVE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ms. Dent’s Kinder Sombreros project
Ms. Andrew’s 3rd Grade Peru’s Nazca Lines project
Ms. Moreno’s Kinder Dia de los Muertos project
Ms. Herrera’s 4th Grade Explorando Las Fuerzas Con Juguetes
MOST INFORMATIVE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ms. Ortega’s 2nd Grade Hispanic Legends
Ms. Flores 3rd Grade Esperanza Rising
BEST OF SHOW AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ms. Mireles’ PreKinder Frida Kahlo
Ms. Ocegueda’s 5th Grade Aztec Roots of Hispanic Heritage
