Those who walked down the foreign language hallway on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 saw four ofrendas, or alters. They are a Spanish-speaking tradition for El Día de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead. The holiday is celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2. The two ofrendas were a new part of the curriculum this year for Intro into Spanish, Spanish 1 and Spanish 4. Each level was assigned a craft in class to provide traditional décor for the holiday: marigolds, calaveras, and papel picado. “The students were asked to bring in a picture or memento of someone who has passed on,” said Ms. Bianca Lopez, Spanish teacher.

In Mexico, the alters were made by family and friends to honor the dead with things they liked while alive with the belief that their souls would come back and visit on the holiday. “They celebrate life. It’s something that’s really happy and exciting,” Lopez said.