Library, MISD spread importance of Cinco de Mayo to children (+PHOTOS)
Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Singing, dancing and twirling their long-flowing skirts, a group
Library, MISD spread importance of Cinco de Mayo to children (+PHOTOS)
Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Singing, dancing and twirling their long-flowing skirts, a group of area students brought their Cinco de Mayo celebration to the Midland County Library on Tuesday, interrupting the building's usual hushed tones with a dash of noise and culture.
"That we dance," said kindergartner Sabrina Ramirez, explaining the meaning of the May 5 holiday.
Her classmate at Pease Communications/Technology Magnet School Jonathan Marquez got a little closer to the true origins of the holiday, saying they learned in class it's a celebration of a battle that Mexico won lots of years ago.
"They had a war," he said, looking up after he squiggled some colorful lines on a paper piñata he was creating.
Known by many Texans and others as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, Cinco de Mayo actually marks the day in 1862 the Mexican Army defeated France at the Battle of Puebla during the French-Mexican War, teachers said.
Celebrating by learning Mexican dances and Spanish songs — which they performed following the library's usual story time — is a great way to share another culture with the students while also teaching them about the history of the war, teachers said.
"We do a lot of cultural celebrations with parents," Even Start Director Pat Lyons said, explaining how their program aims to help parents learn how to pass on knowledge to their children.
Having finished directing a hat dance, Corina Flores, the bilingual kindergarten teacher at Pe