Coconino High School students celebrate el Día de los Muertos with second annual shoebox ofrenda competition

FLAGSTAFF — Spanish language and English learning students at Coconino High School celebrated el Día de los Muertos with their second annual shoebox ofrenda competition. The winners were selected this week with students and others voting throughout the month.

“This contest is an innovative way for our students to express their creativity and learn about the cultural significance of Día de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead,” said teacher Francy Solarte. “As a school committed to fostering cultural awareness and artistic expression, we are enthusiastic about providing our students with such opportunities.

“The Day of the Dead Mini altar contest is a competition where students create beautiful and meaningful altars using a shoe box,” Solarte said. “They can pay tribute to a family member, pet, or person who has contributed to society. They also write an altar dedication in Spanish and their home language. This is an interdisciplinary project between Spanish classes and English Language Learners classes. We exhibited the mini altars at the library starting November 2nd and we closed with a parent night on November 8^th. The school community and parents had the opportunity to visit the exhibition and vote for their favorites.”

Winners from the 2022 competition were displayed at a special ofrenda by Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces at the recent Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona.

The 2023 winners are:

• First place: Daniela Hernandez and Juan Mora-Yazmin Hernandez with their entry No. 18 honoring the memory of Selena Quintanilla.
• Second place: Students Carmen Castruita and Cristal Maldonado with their entry No. 16 honoring the memory of Jenni Rivera.
• Third place: Students Marlen Amador and Selene Herrera with their entry No. 20 honoring the memory of Vicente Fernández.

Prizes were presented to the winners from Waltmar, Dairy Queen, Las Gordita Mexican Restaurant, and Dutch Bros.

Honorable Mention was presented to student Felice Ortiz for entry No. 36 honoring the memory of Frida Kahlo.

Jury recognition was also presented to:

• Student: Yuliana Escobar for entry No. 14 honoring the memory of Ariel Camacho
• Students: Emily Lachowitzer-  Ayana Leyva – Savina Iñiguez for entry No. 29 honoring the memory of Vicente Fernandez
• Students: Yazmin Díaz – Yadira Morales for entry No. 70 honoring the memory of Jenni Rivera
• Student: Isahi Moreno for entry No. 69 honoring the memory of Yolanda
• Student: Deisy Delgado  for entry No. 22 honoring the memory of Chapo (Pet)
• Students: Eva Wilke – Yadira Ortiz for entry No. 1 honoring the memory of Chadwick Boseman

CHS teachers organizing the contest and exhibit were:

• Nadege Neta, who teaches SEI Structured English Immersion for English learners at all levels.
• Brisa Torres, who teaches IB International Baccalaureate  Spanish language Higher Level for Juniors.
• Francy Solarte, who teaches Spanish for Spanish Speakers 1 and 2, Spanish 3/IB Standard Level. IB International Baccalaureate Higher and Standard Level Spanish language for Seniors 

This year three teachers were invited to participate as jurors: 

• Lily Stevens: English teacher
• Janet Chávez: English teacher
• Daniela Webb: Transition mentor TSW program

Family members also had the opportunity see all the entries during a Parents Night meeting held on Nov. 8, which featured “pan de muerto,” the traditional bread of this celebration and hot chocolate, created by the CHS Culinary Arts III class under the guidance of their teacher Janeille Buckley

Also, Club MEChA Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan under the direction of the teacher Janet Chavez helped set up the event, greeting attendees, and cleaning up. They also put together a community altar open to all faculty and staff in the south commons. (I showed you that)

Teachers who collaborate in the parent meeting after the exhibition:

• Amy Iñiguez: science teacher
• Summer Denis: English teacher
• Lorena Vera: Math teacher
• Leslie Grabel: ELL coordinator
• Nadege Neta: ELL teacher
• English teacher: Janet Chavez

Also participating in the event was Principal Tadd Ragan, and Roxana Contreras, who helps CHS run the meeting.