FLAGSTAFF — Spanish language and English learning students at Coconino High School celebrated el Día de los Muertos with their second annual shoebox ofrenda competition. The winners were selected this week with students and others voting throughout the month.
“This contest is an innovative way for our students to express their creativity and learn about the cultural significance of Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead,” said teacher Francy Solarte. “As a school committed to fostering cultural awareness and artistic expression, we are enthusiastic about providing our students with such opportunities.
“The Day of the Dead Mini altar contest is a competition where students create beautiful and meaningful altars using a shoe box,” Solarte said. “They can pay tribute to a family member, pet, or person who has contributed to society. They also write an altar dedication in Spanish and their home language. This is an interdisciplinary project between Spanish classes and English Language Learners classes. We exhibited the mini altars at the library starting November 2nd and we closed with a parent night on November 8th. The school community and parents had the opportunity to visit the exhibition and vote for their favorites.”
