The impact of Hispanic traditions on American culture is shown this Hispanic Heritage Month. Students from various backgrounds are diving into this rich culture, highlighting its relevance in our modern society.

“I think it’s important to learn about Hispanic culture because there’s so many people in this world and it’s so important to know, their background, where they come from,” said Ava Fuller. Ava is the president of the Spanish National Honors Society. The SHH is one of the ways that Wakeland students enrolled in Spanish courses learn about different countries and cultures.

“I feel like it’s honestly just really fun to know about the people around you, which is nice. And the classes help you learn about the culture. Mainly in Spanish four and five, we do a lot of research on different countries,” Ava said. “In Spanish four, we go in depth about a specific country, their holidays, the food they eat, [and] their culture.”

As Frisco grows in size, so does the Hispanic population, along with their cultures’ representation across the community. While Plano reports the largest population of Hispanic Americans in the Collin County area, fourteen percent, or roughly 25,605, Frisconians consider themselves Hispanic.

At a recent Hispanic Heritage Festival, flamenco dancer and local high school student known as “Laomi,” expressed her favorite things to celebrate.

“My favorite part my culture would definitely be the food, I love the food, and the arts we have,” said Laomi. “Especially the dancing. I love it, I love it!”

However, it’s not only about the superficial things, but also about the sharing of such traditions through generations.

“Heritage means a lot to me, especially because I come from a Hispanic family, a Hispanic household,” said Laomi. “I think it’s really important to embrace our culture and keep on passing it from generation to generation.”