Preparing for a Hispanic Heritage Month Showcase at Prosser Career Academy

Hispanic Heritage Month is a big deal at Prosser Career Academy. In early October, the school will host a sensational Hispanic Heritage Showcase. Ms. Wanda Villodas, a Spanish teacher at Prosser, has been working extremely hard to make the showcase a success. She even put in time over the summer to prepare for it. 

Now that students are back at Prosser, they’ve been helping get ready for the showcase as well, mainly by helping create its costumes. They have enjoyed the opportunity to work together toward a larger goal and make the showcase the best event that it can be. 

We caught up with Ms. Villodas to learn more about the process of putting the showcase together, as well as what she hopes her students remember from the experience.

Why have you dedicated so much of your time to this showcase? 

I remember coming to Chicago from Puerto Rico when I was 14. I attended Clemente High School, and my bilingual teachers were big on celebrating culture. Here at Prosser, we have many students who are newcomers from other countries, especially those in Central and South America. I’ve had students speak languages that I had never even been exposed to before. 

That is why it is so important to hold this showcase. Our students deserve to have their languages, traditions, and cultures celebrated, regardless of where they come from. 

How have your students been enjoying this project? 

They were super surprised that I took the initiative to do this. I started showing them how they could contribute, and they jumped right in. Not only does this work count toward their Spanish grade, but they are also earning service learning hours, which are a graduation requirement. 

It has been a big success. Family members are even starting to join. I had four parents come volunteer to help us make wings as part of the outfits for each country. We are making sure that everywhere is included—Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, and even parts of Africa. 

What do you think people will remember about the showcase? 

I hope they remember that this was a showcase that was not run by a vendor or an outside organization. We truly had a student-centered approach. Our students are developing so many skills through this work. These are skills that could even help them raise money for college. 

This showcase was my vision, but my students are the ones truly making it happen. I hope that they are proud of the work they created. I know that this will be a show unlike anything the Prosser community has ever seen before.