From a salsa contest to an agua fresca sale, the Students of Color Alliance hosted a variety of events over the past few weeks to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic Heritage Month lasts from Sep. 15 through Oct. 15 each year, encompassing the independence days of eight Latin American countries, including Mexico. SOCA tried to highlight the history of these countries by sharing Hispanic culture with the McCallum student community. Along with events held by SOCA, ballet folklorico performed multiple traditional dances in a lunchtime showcase.
We are proud to present a gallery of images from Hispanic Heritage Month as this week’s Thursday Top 10.
HONORING HER HERITAGE: Last Tuesday, McCallum’s ballet folklorico put on a showcase in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Senior Abigail Peacock says it was nice for Folklorico to showcase their traditional Hispanic folk dance during Hispanic Heritage Month, due to the fact that they are no longer able to perform for Cinco de Mayo. Because of the new Texas laws that prevent certain cultural groups from performing, Peacock says they will take what they can get, and Hispanic Heritage Month was the perfect opportunity to celebrate dance.
“To me, it’s important that Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated at McCallum because it’s an integral part of our school’s culture,” Peacock said. “Additionally, it’s especially important that we are able to dance for Hispanic Heritage Month because we may not be able to put on a Cinco de Mayo this year. Our club works hard, and I think there should be a way to showcase our hard work to the school.”
Peacock says the folklorico dance is an important part of Hispanic culture, and can represent various Hispanic cultures and backgrounds through music and art.
“Folklorico is representative of the different cultural influences that come together to create Hispanic culture,” Peacock said. “Folklorico originated as a combination of indigenous and Spanish-style dances, and can represent different regions of Mexico that have unique dance attire and steps that show even more specific influences and history of the individual regions.”
For Peacock, the community that surrounds folklorico is what makes the club such a welcoming and fun environment where students can spread Hispanic culture.
“My favorite part about being in folklorico has been learning about and being able to experience Hispanic culture. It is what makes Texas so special, and I have loved becoming more involved in the community that surrounds me,” Peacock said. “I’ve also loved meeting everyone involved in folklorico, from teachers to club members and people involved in our events. It really has been such a wonderful experience.”
Caption by Sofia Saucedo. Photo by Beatrix Lozach.
A MARRIAGE TO HER HERITAGE: Senior Mailyn Gil hits the closing pose to “La Cumbamba,” a dance from Veracruz, Mexico, in the McCallum cafeteria on Oct. 3. Since the dance typically takes place in celebration of a wedding, Gil wears a dress resembling a wedding gown.
As a member of the ballet folklórico club, Gil has not only performed for McCallum students but has also traveled with the group to local elementary schools in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“Sra. A [Altamirano-Cancino] always does cute mini ‘lessons’ about regions, dresses, Spanish language, and the meaning of the dances,” Gil said. “It’s fun and educational.”
Gil has been in Ballet Folklórico since her freshman year.
“I first joined because I wanted to be closer to my heritage,” Gil said. “Then it changed into admiration for the art and the people that kept me involved all four years.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard. Photo by Beatrix Lozach.
EMBRACING CULTURE: During Hispanic Heritage Month, the McCallum Students of Color Alliance set up tables and booths filled with Mexican snacks and beverages available for the student body to purchase. Olive Glen, a junior at McCallum, explains how the assortment of drinks and snacks caught her attention.
“I had to get the agua fresca, which was really good,” Glen said.
However, the snacks weren’t the only way Glen celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month. Another event McCallum hosted was ballet folklórico performances. Glen said it was such a fun way to celebrate this month and was a good representation of the Hispanic culture.
“It was cool because I’m half Hispanic, so it felt like a good representation of my heritage and a good time to honor it,” Glen said. “I feel like we do a really good job of celebrating at McCallum because of the multiple events we were able to have.”
Glen explains how she believes that it’s vital to celebrate and honor this month due to the diversity seen at McCallum. She believes that due to the large number of Hispanic students and faculty members at McCallum, the snack stands and events are a great way to honor and represent the Hispanic culture.
Caption by Eva Sanchez. Photo by Zanna Allen.
CONCHAS FOR A CAUSE: During the Student of Color Alliance Hispanic Heritage Month fundraiser last Thursday and Friday, sophomore Kalina Guerra supported the organization by purchasing traditional Hispanic candy from the club. Senior Kimora Hale, a member of the club, helped to sell the snacks.
The sale ranged from agua fresca to sweet chips, and according to Hale, it aided the program with money that will be used to continue their own growth and advocacy for the McCallum community.
“[The profits] will go to support us and just in general a lot of different people in the community,” Hale said. “We go on field trips with this money, and it just helps us grow together so we can give back to everybody.”
Hale explained that the purpose of SOCA is to care for all people and spread culture through things like these fundraisers. Hosting events for Hispanic Heritage Month isn’t only a fun celebration of culture, but a system of recognition for so many students and staff.
“Our group is to support everybody and anyone, not just specific people,” Hale said. “We just love to give out and give back to the community, and it helps not only us grow, it shows that we care.”
While the fundraiser helped the community, it also served the SOCA as an individual program. Hale highlighted the event’s success and noted that conchas, which are traditional sweet Mexican pastries, were likely the best-selling item.
“A lot of people who purchased things the first day were able to come back for the second day and buy more stuff, which shows that they enjoyed it,” Hale said. “We believe that it did really well, and it was a pretty good turnout.”
Caption by Kaylee Breecker. Photo by Daniela Di-Capua.
CELEBRATING CULTURE: During the Student of Color Alliance’s Hispanic Heritage Month fundraiser, junior Tegan Hahn helped lead the event by organizing volunteers, managing sign-ups, and selling traditional Hispanic snacks during lunch. As SOCA’s secretary, Hahn played a key role in planning the two-day sale.
“I attended several SOCA meetings where we as a group collectively decided on what dates worked best for us,” she said. “Day of, I left class early to set up tables and snacks and then sold them during lunch.”
For Hahn, the fundraiser wasn’t just about selling treats, but sharing stories and building connections.
“The treat-selling day is one of my favorite events SOCA does,” she said. “It’s cool to expose people to new foods and, in turn, teach them a little about a culture they’re not a part of.”
Hahn added that events like this make McCallum feel more inclusive.
“It’s super important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month because it provides educational opportunities for our community and helps marginalized groups feel seen. I love sharing my culture with others and learning about theirs, too.”
Caption by Mira Patel. Photo by Daniela Di-Capua.
Sophomore Le’Sean Roberts and freshman JB Borjas Rodriguez pose for a photo after visiting the Students of Color Alliance’s agua fresca booth on Sept. 30.
“I like Hispanic Heritage Month because it makes me feel happy with myself,” Borjas Rodriguez said. “We don’t do a lot at home to celebrate, but my grandparents come over a lot and they make the best food.”
Borjas Rodriguez said his grandparents were originally born in Mexico. Along with others, this Hispanic Heritage Month Borjas Rodriguez was at last week’s agua fresca day hosted by the Students of Color Alliance.
“The agua frescas were so good, and I wanted another one because they were free,” Rodriguez said.
At the snack pop-up, Borjas Rodriguez also mentioned he purchased a snack with his friend Le’Sean.
“I love the snack stands,” Rodriguez said. “They were cheap and good.”
Caption by Ethan Roberts. Photo by Zanna Allen.
HELPING HANDS: Sophomore Paloma Ramon joined the Students of Color Alliance in the middle of last school year. SOCA handed out agua frescas to students passing in the hallway to spread awareness about the different cultures that should be celebrated throughout Hispanic Heritage Month.
“We do stands like those for Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month,” Ramon said.
The Students of Color Alliance get all of their ingredients from local grocery stores such as HEB and make food from the different cultures that they want to recognize. They then hand them out to students in the hallways to help others learn about other cultures during these celebrated months.
“We made salsa for the salsa contest, brought treats from different Hispanic cultures, and sold Hispanic candy,” Ramon said.
SOCA handed out agua frescas, which are a popular Mexican and Latin American drink made with a mix of fresh fruits, crushed flowers and seeds, and a sweetener.
“I think that it’s important to celebrate all the Hispanic cultures because people often assume that everyone who is Hispanic is Mexican, even though there are so many other Hispanic countries,” Ramon said.
Caption by Piper Adair. Photo by Zanna Allen.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: As part of the Hispanic Heritage Month festivities at McCallum, the ballet folklorico dance group put on multiple performances. Pictured above, the group was together in the McCallum cafeteria before a performance, but they traveled to three different schools to celebrate their talents and culture including Gullett Elementary, Brentwood Elementary and First Presbyterian Daycare.
To prepare for the performances, the team had to stay focused in practices. Junior Natalee Ibarra, second from the left, prioritized patience and her previous experience with ballet folklorico during the practices.
“Usually out of the whole week we only have one practice,” Ibarra said. “So in order to prepare for this we needed to have a lot of patience with not only ourselves but with others. Since it is my third year in this club I have been able to work with the incoming members to ensure they are doing the steps right and answering any questions they may have.”
For Ibarra, being able to spread the culture of the dance and its origin is a highlight of being part of the organization and their events this past month.
“Being able to do these performances for others and being able to express ourselves and the Latin culture through dance is a big highlight of the whole event for me,” Ibarra said.
Caption by Arwen Pelletier. Photo by Beatrix Lozach.
![ONE LAST BATTLE CRY: Senior Valeria Villafuerte-Perez celebrates with her friends after the senior class won the spirit competition. At each pep rally, a different game is played with volunteers from the crowd. Villafuerte-Perez was nominated by her friends to play a game in which the goal was to snatch a pom-pom from an opponent.
“Before school started, my friends and I had talked about going all out for senior year, so I told them to nominate me for a game since it was our last [Shoal Creek Showdown] pep rally,” Villafuerte-Perez said. “I wasn’t really scared to go down to the floor in front of the whole school, all I was focused on was getting the crowd hyped for the game.”
Villafuerte-Perez entered the game determined to win. After several rounds, as there were just two people left, she managed to snatch the last pom just in time, in order to secure a victory for the senior class.
“I was really happy I won the game for the class of 2026,” Villafuerte-Perez said. “Honestly, I just wanted to win because seniors rule.”
As this was her first pep rally as a senior, the event carried extra meaning to Villafuerte-Perez.
“Being in the stands as a senior feels very surreal,” Villafuerte-Perez said. “I still remember my first pep rally, and now I’m a senior having my last pep rally, I think in that moment it really set in that I’m a senior, and that I’m going to graduate soon.”
Caption by Sophia Manos. Photo by Julia Copas.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54750679693_5f7d007e27_o-1200x675.jpg)
