As part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, students in Valentina Moyano’s first-grade bilingual class at John S. Hobart Elementary School in Shirley, NY participated in a fun activity to color the flags of the countries they were born in or that represents their family’s heritage.
According to Ms. Moyano, the activity led to a meaningful conversation about diversity and traditions. The theme of the activity was “We celebrate our Spanish heritage, but we always represent Hobart.” The countries that were represented in the classroom include America, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Uruguay.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.