the Hispanic Festival at Carolina Friends School

Kelly releases the best of who we are

the teacher has a vision,

a way for who she is

to release itself even more fully within the school,

a way to make even more of a difference,

her whole self engages with her lower and middle school students,

helping each move forward in their understanding and use of Spanish,

and then to enter into understanding

the countries, peoples, cultures,

for whom Spanish is the way thoughts are formed,

love expressed, connections made, life lived,

today, for the second year in a row, she is the major force

pulling off an Hispanic festival at Carolina Friends School,

as students, parents, visitors, and staff enter,

an enthusiastic greater shouts: “Hola!” at all,

dancing with a welcoming poster,

within: booths of food, information, games, flags,

a program of song and dance, of enthusiasm and Spanish,

with students announcing each part in Spanish, then in English,

the afternoon is of joy and multicultural celebration,

of individuals risking to be enthusiastic,

of groups coming together and bringing us along

with the power of their movement and song, and expression of self,

a part of our community celebrated as who we are,

a model of how our school can be one with the many.

by Henry H. Walker

October 10, ‘19