“My roots are very important to me. I am Latina and Spanish and I love speaking Spanish. [Hispanic Heritage Month] is just one month in the whole year when we need to show everybody in the whole world [and] people who are not Latino, how much we have grown. For students who are here in the United States and have parents from Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, etc. we need to teach them and they need to be proud about where they’re from and who they are. Being a teacher is amazing for me because I can [teach my students] to not try to be another person and that you don’t need to be an “American” because you are in America. For me Hispanic heritage is 365 days of the year. Never forget about where you are from and who you are and be proud. When you feel proud about yourself you feel different.” – Fanty Polanco (HHS Spanish for Heritage Speakers teacher) 

“Hispanic Heritage month is a month of the year where Hispanic people are celebrated, Latinx people are celebrated and there’s just a lot more love going towards us. It defines me as a person. I can definitely say there is a big difference between American culture and Hispanic culture, but I’m happy to live both lives. I love Hispanic culture. The food, the people, the language and the way we communicate, everything is so expressive and I think that it defines a big part of my life. I’m happy that it does because I get to meet so many people that are like me and I get to visit countries and try foods just because I’m Hispanic and I think that’s really nice.” – Gracy Bustillo (12)

“Hispanic Heritage Month is important. It is a way to create awareness of our diversity not only here at the school but in our community. [We have] to create awareness and come together as a community to embrace and celebrate each other. I am from Puerto Rico and I am proud because that is who I am. That is my identity and that’s me. I am a Latina here in the United States.” – Gloria Figueroa-Vargas (Assistant Principal) 

“Hispanic heritage is important to me is because it is my culture and it’s important to me. The culture, the music, how my family treats me and my language it’s very beautiful. I am proud because I came from Mexico and my grandma and grandpa were born in Mexico.” – Michelle Arteaga (10)