On Friday, October 25th, the Hispanic Heritage Festival will be held from 6 P.M to 8 P.M. Tickets for admission and food are separate, each costing $5.  

This has been a school tradition held for many years. With each year, the students in charge work hard to create something beautiful, doing their best to outdo their performance from the previous years. So, how do they plan to do that this year? 

On October 21st, I sat down with the board of Hispanic Heritage. They had explained that they have been working on this since early August, before the school year had even started. They discussed ideas for a theme that would work in their best interest.  

“We felt that we wanted to include more Hispanic cultures this year, instead of focusing on the main Spanish speaking countries. For example, more Latin American cultures,” as stated by the board. 

With the goal of being more inclusive, they arrived at a brilliant idea. 

“This year’s theme will be Carnaval” As they told me, they pointed to a pile of brightly colored and glittery masks sitting on a table, each made with obvious care and pride. Once they had the idea, they brought it up at the Hispanic Heritage Conference and it was approved. 

During their explanation, it came as a surprise to her that there were not many other schools take part in this event. There were close to 5 other groups from different schools, and it seems as though we are the only school that decides to hold a big festival for it. It’s no wonder why we put so much care into this event. Not only are we the only school in the county to do this, but we very much know how to do it well.

“So, what do you plan to do that will surround this theme?” I asked them. 

“Well, in the spirit of letting you find out for yourself; we don’t want to give away too much,” Eunice Santos, a member of the board, said as she gave me a smile. “But what I will say is that we will have performances and activities surrounding Carnaval, each with its own flare.” 

Whatever they chose not to give away will surely be something worth experiencing. These students, along with Ms. Garay and Mrs. Marrero, will have plenty to show for this year. 

Remember to come on Friday night to enjoy OCSA’s very own Carnaval!