Day of the Dead is a yearly celebration, which takes place on Nov. 1, to honor the dead and recognize their life.  On Nov. 2, many Spanish classes got together to honor this holiday.

Spanish teacher, Nisla Fonseca engaged her students in the Hispanic culture, as she taught lessons around Day of the Dead, and had her students create altars to honor significant celebrities or family members.

“It teaches the kids not to fear death, that your life will always be honored and celebrated,” Fonseca said.

“A lot of the kids do not necessarily understand what Day of the Dead truly means,” Fonseca said. “I am glad that I am able to teach many of them the culture behind it, and its importance to Hispanics.”

Day of the Dead is not like any celebration in the American culture.

“Day of the Dead is nothing like a funeral, it celebrates the life of the dead, rather than trying to help the living cope with the dead like a funeral does,” senior Shively Rivera, from the Spanish Club, said.

“It isn’t a one-time event like funerals, which also only celebrate the fact that the person is dead,” senior Michael Vasquez, from the Spanish Club, said. “Day of the Dead happens every year and celebrates rebirth into the afterlife, a new type of living.”

“It isn’t just any holiday like Halloween,” Rivera said. “It represents the entire Spanish culture itself, celebrating life through vibrant colors and rituals.”

“The decorations were a crucial component to the celebration,” Vasquez said. “The skulls placed around room represented death, but the vibrant colors served as a symbol for the exciting afterlife.”

Day of the Dead has strong cultural significance to the Hispanic culture.

“My family and I used to celebrate this holiday often,” Rivera said. “It never was or had to be anything big, just a simple candle to honor and honor our loved one’s life.”

“It was my first time experiencing this holiday,” senior Jessica Ballardo said. “I learned that it is important in the Hispanic culture to value the memories and lives of loved ones.”

The celebration left a great impact on the students.

“It was a great way to share my culture with my classmates,” Vasquez said. “My family and I celebrate it every year, and it was cool to see how different people experienced a part of my culture.”

“It was so great to see how students of different cultures could come together to experience a culture that is probably different than theirs,” Rivera said.

“Day of the Dead is a way to shine a positive light on the life of the dead,” Ballardo said. “It celebrates just the little things like their favorite foods, who they were, and how they impacted our lives.”

“It’s a really unique holiday, and it’s not like anything in any other culture,” Rivera said. “I think that it is something that everyone should be exposed to and experience.”