Douglas County schools continue celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with activities, festivals, food, poetry contests and field trips.
Beulah Elementary held its annual Latino Heritage Day on Oct. 3. Students and parents enjoyed activities, including face painting and soccer drills, listened to lively Latin music and sampled delicious foods, including esquites, nachos, fruit, chicharrones, chips and traditional Hispanic candy.
Families at Sweetwater Elementary packed the school cafeteria Tuesday evening for a Hispanic Heritage and Literacy Festival.
Sweetwater students took center stage with dancing and poetry readings during a special Poetry Café for winners of the Hispanic Heritage-themed poetry contest. Families also learned about state writing standards.
The evening transformed into a community-wide celebration of culture and connection as families from Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador shared home-cooked dishes with everyone in attendance.
College and Career Institute Spanish students experienced the beauty of Spanish culture at the Flamenco Ballet at the Strand Theatre in Marietta. They enjoyed the language, dance and music, and afterward had lunch at a Latin bakery and restaurant where they enjoyed pupusas, tamales, tacos, empanadas and other delicacies.