FIESTA NIGHT! Celebrating Hispanic Heritage
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n late April, students in the Edison and Chalmers dual language programs, along with their teachers, came together for an afternoon to celebrate the hispanic culture. Fiesta Night is an event held for the community the weekend before Cinco de Mayo at the Gainesville Farmers Market.
Where it began This celebration originally began more than 15 years ago and was established as a way to highlight Hispanic Heritage month in October. The celebration was initiated in Mrs. Nora Moreno’s bilingual classroom at Edison Elementary as a way to teach students about diversity and culture. It then transformed into a school event where Pre-K and first grade students performed traditional folkloric dances and songs for their families.
Where it is now
As the dual language program expanded to include additional grade levels, the event grew as well. First, it grew to an outdoor event held at the junior high stadium and then two years ago grew even more and was moved to the Farmers Market in May as a Cinco de Mayo celebration. The location change allowed not only for space for additional student performances, but also as an open invitation to the community to join the celebration. Fiesta Night is now a cultural event enjoyed by approximately 4000 people each year. Through this event, students are able to celebrate their cultural diversity and traditions with their peers, which in turn creates a more empathetic community. Cultural diversity is preserved in the celebration of differences and is manifested by the diversity of language, art, music, and beliefs. As the melting pot of our community, GISD is where unity begins. Our students at Edison and Chalmers are learning from each other. The teachers dedicate themselves to developing the whole child by creating opportunities for students to become productive and responsible students who will each contribute in their own way.
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• Gainesville SPOT SPOTlight light • Summer 2022
