Godfrey-Lee — Godfrey-Lee students and teachers from across the district flocked to Lee Middle and High School recently for the sights, sounds and delicious smells of the Hispanic Heritage Festival.
The event brought together students of all ages, neighborhood families and community partners to share plates of handmade tacos, fajitas and cups of horchata and aguas frescas.
Lee High School students wearing blue and gold T-shirts greeted people as they arrived. Those same students were spread out around the event offering help to vendors, taking photos and making sure there was enough space for the folklórico group, Mexico Mix, to perform.
Social worker Chelsey Diaz said the school hosts some kind of event every year to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. This year, she said students from the student-run organization Legendary Leaders deserved all the credit for making the festival a reality.
“Around 20 students did all the communicating, got the vendors themselves and designed the layout (for the event,)” she said. “They’re amazing.”
The group advertised the event as “a day to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture as a community” on colorful fliers they hung around the school and emailed to local businesses and nonprofits.
“It took a lot of dedication and teamwork,” senior Melanie Bautista said. “We made sure we were all coordinated, (and) time management was a big thing to make sure it all came together.”
They also reached out to family friends, parents’ businesses and vendors in the area to populate the festival’s food and entertainment.
Senior Desiree Huitron said the organization works well together because everyone is so close.
“We’re a Hispanic-based school and we wanted to celebrate our culture, our roots and share our food with the (Godfrey-Lee) community,” she said.
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