This week, students celebrated Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Día de los Muertos is a holiday that celebrates and remembers loved ones who have passed away. This holiday is celebrated November 1-2 and marks the one time a year that loved ones can cross over to the land of the living. Families create ofrendas, or altars, containing pictures, food offerings, and flowers (usually marigolds) to remember their loved ones.

Students across divisions celebrated the holiday by creating their own ofrendas throughout the school. Middle School students created an ofrenda in remembrance of notable Latino figures as part of a lesson on Spanish history. Seventh-grade Spanish, Sculpture, 2D Art, and Theatre classes worked hard on a collaboration of Mexican ghost stories presented in the Black Box theater. These students were joined by friends from the West Dallas Senior Center.

Upper School Spanish also created an ofrenda and decorated with traditional calaveras (sugar skulls), food offerings, and pictures. Students read articles, watched videos, and discussed the celebration in classes.

Lower School friends learned about the holiday in several different classes. Students were visited by a Mariachi band, sampled some Pan de Muerto (bread of the dead), created their own calaveras in art, and learned some of the history behind the holiday.

ESD is proud to create an environment where students can explore other cultures through real-world learning experiences and activities. See more of our celebration here.