Students Explore Culture

From Tacos to Calaveritas –

Students Explore Culture Through Art and Food

It’s been a fun and busy week for Saint Mary’s Hall Upper School Students! Students in Senora Diaz’s Cultural Identity, Community & Culinary Traditions of the Hispanic World and Dr. Hicks’ Echoes in the Borderlands: An Interdisciplinary Study of Selena Quintanilla took their learning beyond the classroom on Monday, October 13, with a visit to the Naco Mexican Food Truck. There, they met with owners Francisco Estrada and Lizzeth Martínez to explore the rich intersection of food, culture, and community. As they sampled traditional Mexico City and Texas-Mexico borderlands cuisine, students engaged in meaningful conversations about how culinary traditions reflect identity and history, deepening their understanding of the Hispanic experience through firsthand storytelling and flavor.

The interdisciplinary learning continued on Wednesday, October 15, as students from Echoes in the Borderlands and Spanish III joined together to celebrate Día de los Muertos. Led by Senora Diaz, the class explored the ancient Aztec and Maya roots of the holiday and its evolution through Christian influences. Students reflected on the cultural significance of honoring loved ones and the celebration of life, culminating in the creation of personalized calaveritas—miniature sugar skulls that symbolized remembrance and creativity. The hands-on activity brought history and tradition to life, reinforcing the power of cultural expression in shaping community and identity.