IMS and IHS Spanish Programs Celebrate Culture Through Art, Learning, and Community Experiences
Spanish students at Independence Middle School and Independence High School, guided by Spanish teacher Reema Sanchez, wrapped up an extraordinary series of cultural learning experiences this month as they celebrated Día de los Muertos with hands-on projects, artistic creation, and real-world exploration.
Under Sanchez’s direction, students at both buildings created personalized altar projects honoring the life of someone meaningful to them. After presenting their work to classmates, the projects became part of friendly competitions—first at IHS, where the Top 7 were narrowed down to a final Top 3, and this week at IMS, where students are voting from a Top 5 to select their Top 3. Each participant will receive a Sugar Skull ornament, while first-, second-, and third-place winners will earn Target gift cards valued at $15, $10, and $5 respectively.
Students also celebrated Día de los Muertos through classroom festivities that included a themed feast, painting sugar skulls on rocks, and watching Coco. The rock-painting project was made possible thanks to the support of the IHS PTO.
One of the most memorable moments came on November 1, when Sanchez took students to participate in the Día de los Muertos parade hosted by the Cleveland Public Theatre. While downtown, students enjoyed authentic Mexican food, viewed beautifully crafted ofrendas displayed in a local church, shopped at an artisan market, and had their faces painted for the occasion.
