Spanish classes celebrate, honor ‘Day of the Dead’

JHS Spanish Class

The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a hispanic holiday which celebrates the deceased. The belief surrounding this holiday is that if you create an ofrenda (a table adorned with food, decorations, and photos of your loved ones) then those you have honored will come to visit and celebrate with you. Maria Morgan, a Spanish teacher at Jefferson High School, gives her students a special assignment each year: create a Día de los Muertos ofrenda. 

This year’s ofrenda honors the late singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. Two 8-foot arches covered in over a thousand paper flowers (created by Morgan’s and Ms. Bautista’s Spanish 1 and 2) form the gateway to the ofrenda. The altar itself features a life-sized skeleton dressed as Selena, an impressively large sombrero displaying a miniature ofrenda, a poster adorned with paper flowers, and a second, smaller Selena featuring a handmade costume and an accompanying hand painted coffin; all created by students of the Spanish Club. Every part of the display was put together entirely by students, and Morgan is very proud of the time and effort they have put in to celebrate this beautiful cultural holiday. 

Morgan and all the students at Jefferson High School want to give a very special thank you to their Principle and Vice Principal, Mr. Brannen and Mrs. Watson for approving the project, as well as Mrs. Kietta and Mrs. Tolleson for helping acquire materials.