Burney Harris Lyons Middle School students and staff present during the 2018 Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Although the event is not in-person this year, BHL hopes to acknowledge the Hispanic community both within the school and outside of it. “The celebration is acknowledging and celebrating the history (of) all the contributions that Hispanic culture has afforded us throughout generations and generations,” BHL math department teacher and Hispanic Heritage Month celebration board chair Flodine Kialeuka said. Photo courtesy of BHL Facebook
BHL’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration will be held over Zoom on Oct. 12, highlighting student art and performances.
Burney Harris Lyons Middle School is having their annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration over Zoom from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 12. The event is open to all community members.
According to greatschools.org, 39% of BHL students identified as Latino or Hispanic, making the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration a significant event for the community. The annual event is usually celebrated with guest dancers and artists from the community. Due to COVID-19 and the restrictions of Zoom, the celebration will feature fewer community artists and live performances.
“(The celebration) will be done virtually because of the rise in COVID cases in our community. We opted to just be cautious, but the plan is to be student-based, acknowledging different cultures, from different countries, and obviously the Hispanic population within the United States. We’re excited about it.” BHL math department teacher and Hispanic Heritage Month celebration board chair Flodine Kialeuka said.
According to Kialeuka, in place of community artists, the celebration will highlight student art and performances. BHL eighth-grader Clarice Buril is excited to participate in the celebration this year.
“I think that Hispanic Heritage Month is something that needs to be celebrated. Their independence has allowed us to have diversity in our communities. If those with Hispanic heritage celebrate us we should celebrate them,” Buril said.
“We take pride in celebrating our vast culture. Hispanic culture is our culture.”
— Flodine Kialeuka,
BHL math department teacher and Hispanic Heritage Month celebration board chair
Kialeuka hopes that the event will have abundant community participation in order to accomplish their goal to give exposure to the Hispanic communities in and around Athens.
“What we would like to do is basically invite the community to come join us, because we take pride in celebrating our vast culture. Hispanic culture is our culture and that’s what needs to be acknowledged (with this event),” Kialeuka said.
