The language hallway buzzed with creativity as students decorated the lockers with vibrant art projects, wrote poetry, and led parades introducing students to the rich cultural traditions.

Spanish teacher “Señor Marco” Dorfsman kicked off the celebration with a parade where students wound through the hallways waving flags of their home countries. Students were then assigned an art project that drew inspiration from renowned Hispanic artists, replicating their distinctive styles and trademarks. Some students rather chose to showcase an original piece reflecting key moments and figures from Hispanic history.

“It’s obvious people have taken our art classes. That’s what I love about it too, that at Central there’s a lot of cross communication and cross collection between the different departments,” Dorfsman said.

Art pieces lined the walls creating a gallery walk of with colorful arrays of culture and creativity. Everyone in the Central community, including students and parents, were invited to join to travel through Hispanic culture.

“Every year I find myself surprised at the amazing things they do. They’re so creative and so committed,” Dorfsman said.

Dorfsman explained that being bilingual is an essential skill, especially in a diverse community such as Central. He shared that it’s not just about the language, it’s about the community sharing a language builds.

“It helps with communication, understanding, and having a better community and civilization. Diversity in general is how you get to know various points of views. Understanding others’ perspectives creates more empathy of where people are coming from,” Dorfsman said.

Junior Cameron Crowder, an AP Spanish student, recreated an art piece titled La Creación de las Aves (The Creation of Birds) which depicts a bird woman creating life through art. He appreciated the opportunity that the Hispanic Heritage project has given him to create and learn.

Sophomore Spanish student Keegan Washington shares why studying Hispanic Heritage Month has deepened his appreciation for diverse perspectives and a broader understanding of the culture.

“I feel surrounded with diversity, and Central really harbors that kind of environment for enrichment for students. I think it really gave me a better perception of how Hispanic students feel. I had the opportunity to learn more about their heritage and history,” Washington said.

While this is Washington’s third year of Spanish, he explained how he’s never had an experience like this. He believes that exploring the culture behind the language brings the subject to life in a way that grammar alone cannot.

“It gave me a better understanding of how other people’s history affects them today. I feel like it’s incredibly useful and enlightening to understand why other people are the way they are and how other cultures interact,” Washington said.

English Language Development teacher, Raefani Green makes it her priority to embrace and teach diversity in her classroom. She invited her students to bring a dish from home and celebrate their culture together.

“It’s fun to try foods from different places and meet the people who made them, just for the sake of celebrating and discussing our differences,” Green said.

Green’s students took the initiative to design the parade– including posters and flowers. She emphasizes the importance of diversity and exposure to a wide variety of cultures.

“One of my absolute favorite things about Central is that I think it is the most diverse place probably in the state. And honestly, that’s what makes the school great. The best way to combat bigotry is to travel, and I think the more exposure we can get, just the better, more well-rounded people we are,” said Green.