This past Monday saw the celebration of Latino Heritage Month during a fourth period assembly. The event was held to commemorate the independence of numerous Latin American countries. The program saw students from Hill Middle School and Granger Middle School attend in addition to officials of the city of Aurora.

The event showcased a Chicago-based Latino folk group known as the Sones de México Ensemble. The music group prides itself on keeping Mexican traditions alive in modern day America. The fact that Metea was able to bring Sones de México to the school is quite impressive—it is a renowned group that has toured the United States and world with Grammy nominations in its name.

Sones de México Ensemble’s performance combined elements of song with dance and the group constantly brought about new unexpected elements. After performing some songs, the group went into an explanation of the cultural significance of some of the instruments and garments that they used for their performance. There was a significant level of audience involvement too, as they called on volunteers to learn traditional dances. Symphonic Winds was even called upon to collaborate with Sones de México later into the assembly.

“I really enjoyed their enthusiasm,” senior Ethan Wrigley said. “They were constantly calling on the audience to clap or sing along with their music. It was definitely an enjoyable performance.”

The performance was followed by a celebratory luncheon, which featured vocal performances from the music department and a virtuoso slam poem by junior Joshua Trunk.

“Latino Heritage Month allows you to experience another culture with intention,” Dean Jen Rowe said. “It gives us the time to zone in and look at the culture with appreciation. Exposing yourself to a different culture opens you up to new experiences and outlooks. To put this together we’ve had to plan a year in advance and work with the city of Aurora. If any young people have any suggestions for what they would like to see [next year] I’d love to hear it.”