KISD schools celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month | Local News

Attendees sampled treats, tested their Spanish vocabulary and even met a queen.

Fourth-grade teacher Isabell Cortez wore a crown and gown made of various fabric patterns in the style of a specific Panamanian tradition.

She actually demonstrated her personal ethnic roots.

“Instead of just being part of the dance, I wear a crown because I am the 'Reina Conga,' the queen of the dance,” she said.

Traditionally, poor Panamanian immigrants used available leftover materials to make a dance dress.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “My students are very happy to see us.”

Cortez, the queen of dance, wore the modest dress while her teaching colleagues wore dresses suitable for those of higher social status.

In another part of the school, guests tried matching Spanish and English words and sampled Puerto Rican sweets while listening to a video about Puerto Rico.

Gelixa Rodriguez, a fifth-grade dual language teacher, said the evening was about sharing the richness of Hispanic culture.

“It is important to celebrate our culture to educate our students, parents and community about the richness of those cultures,” she said, especially at schools like Peebles, a campus for dual language programs.

“It’s important that every culture is celebrated at Peebles.”

Students and parents worked together to match English and Spanish words.

Additional information showed facts about El Yunque, the tropical rainforest in Puerto Rico.

Many Killeen ISD schools celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th to October 15th.

Check school calendars for other cultural events.