The PHS Numina Gallery celebrated Hispanic Heritage
Month between October 9 and 17 with an exhibition
that showcased a diverse display of Hispanic cultures.
The exhibition featured many artifacts from different
Spanish-speaking regions, including Central America,
South America, and the Caribbean.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a national celebration
observed from September 15 to October 15 to celebrate
the diverse contributions of Hispanic-American citizens
to the United States.

“[The Numina Gallery exhibit] provides a vital platform
for Latino students to express their voices and pride in their
culture,” said Martha Hayden, a Spanish teacher at PHS.

In addition to displaying student’s culture, the event
also brings together people from across the community.

“[In the other months] we usually do art showcases …
this exhibition, [however], is a more [broad] and cultural
exhibition, which makes it special because we are not
showcasing specific artworks of art students … [instead]
we are bringing in projects and cultures from Spanish
students and from different clubs,” said Cindy Zhou ’25,
co-president of the Numina Gallery.

The centerpiece of the exhibition, the Día de los Muertos
(Day of the Dead) ofrenda, displayed traditional offerings
given during a reunion with the dead, such as candles,
flowers, and photos of deceased loved ones. The exhibition
also presented poems related to immigration, traditional
clothing from several regions, and güiro frog instruments.
Camila Del Castillo, a Spanish teacher at PHS and the
main organizer of the Numina exhibit, was pleased to see
the reactions of parents and students on the opening night
of the exhibition.

“The Hispanic kids that came and saw things from
their country loved it. They saw the altar or the Día de los
Muertos ofrenda, and they connected with things they
have learned,” said Del Castillo. “People visiting and being
happy to be there [is] when I feel the proudest.”

The preparation process lasted two weeks and involved
the collaboration of many different people, including
students, teachers, and even supervisors.
Spanish teachers and students did most of the work,
while Numina Gallery members mostly assisted in putting
up pieces, podiums, and lighting.

“The Spanish classes would come and help, and during
our free time we would listen to their ideas and help
incorporate our knowledge about the gallery to help with
the setup,” said Zhou.

The Latinos Unidos club was a significant part of the
exhibition, sharing Hispanic traditions through music and
visuals. Brian Donis ’25, the club’s vice president, helped
plan and set up the event, along with other students.

“The students helped us carry out the projects and events,
but all in all, there is no difference from being a student
leader and being a student in the club [because] we all
came together as one community,” said Donis.

Students and teachers each had different roles in the
preparations for the exhibit. The Spanish teachers, created
themes such as geographical and cultural regions for each
of their respective classes to focus on. The students then
researched these regions and designed posters to display
on the walls of the gallery.

While preparing the exhibition, students and teachers
faced many challenges, such as planning and coordination.
“Finding the time is the most challenging. It’s hard
because you’re still teaching, [and the Numina exhibit] is
not your only job,” said Del Castillo. “Kids are in school,
so I can’t pull them out of class to [help], and after school
everybody has things to do.”

The preparation process is different every year, as
although the Hispanic Heritage exhibition is designed
to display Hispanic culture, its theme changes from year
to year.

Last year’s focus was more on celebrations, while this
year the exhibition focused on spotlighting specific people
and countries. However, while the focus of the exhibition
changes annually, the goal remains the same: to celebrate
Hispanic Heritage Month and showcase the diverse cultures
spread across Latin America.

“We even [had] the Chinese teacher bringing in her
kids and the Italian teacher bringing her kids and making
comparisons between things that we have, like the fans and
different artifacts,” said Del Castillo. “We compare, but to
highlight our similarities."

Noemie Peltekia.'s Work