Albert Leonard Middle School students journeyed around the world via photos, food, music, stickers, and decorations, celebrating both Italian and Hispanic Heritage this month.
Students posed in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Roman Colosseum via an interactive landmark photo booth. They played trivia games, guessed the names of different noodles, studied fact sheets, and donned the traditional flag colors of green, white, and red.
“It was fun to stand in front of the different flags and landmarks of Italy with my friends, and take pictures,” said Ava.
Mateo said, “I liked the stickers, the flags, and the pride.”
For Hispanic Heritage Month, teacher Helen Caro had her students research a Hispanic country, create a poster, and provide a cultural dish to share with the class and visitors.
“I was so happy to share my culture with the rest of the school. It felt really important and good,” said Kayla.
“In a vibrant middle school community, heritage celebrations are key for fostering cultural pride and respect,” said teacher Mark Silviotti. “Middle school is a developmental melting pot where students are actively shaping their personal identities while learning how to navigate our diverse community.”
Silviotti said the goal with both heritage initiatives was “to make engagement interactive, visible, and student-driven across the school day.”
Tyler, another student, said, “I learned about so many cultures during these presentations that I never knew before. I was also excited to try all the different foods people made and brought in. The best ones were those that were made by the moms and grandmas.”
Silviotti said the heritage celebrations began as informal classroom recognitions but over the past five years “steadily evolved into school-wide traditions, reflecting our ongoing commitment to expanding cultural responsiveness and honoring the community we serve.”