September 24 was the 3rd annual Heritage Homecoming. From 6 to 8 pm, the gyms were filled with food and entertainment from all over the world, showcasing the diverse background at St. Pius X.
Counselor Mrs. Mary Pat Martin originally thought of the idea in 2021 because she wanted to celebrate the different cultures of our student body. It started as a small idea during Catholic Schools Week. Mrs. Martin gathered the statistics of the ethnic background representative of St. Pius.
“We got a big world map, and we plotted that on there and put it out [during] Catholic Schools Week, so everybody could see that we’re celebrating our diversity,” Mrs. Martin said.
Since then it has developed into a larger and much- anticipated represented event for the whole community. She was inspired by St. John Newman’s International Night, which included an international potluck. The first Heritage Homecoming simply had food from each continent. Each continent had only one table and little decorations, and now some have expanded to three tables.
“It was one of the first events after COVID, and I think we were all starved to get together socially,” said Mrs. Martin.
Last year, they introduced entertainment like dancing and singing and this year, they added kids’ crafts.
Sophomores Brianna Rodriguez and Julia Bonilla, as well as science teacher Mrs. Luz Dominguez, taught the audience two Latin hispanic dances: bachata and merengue. Mr. and Mrs. Vince taught the audience how to salsa dance. Senior Robert Gonzalez also sang Me Fui by Reymar Perdomo while playing guitar. They also had live cooking of Greek and Thai food. There was also a fashion show, featuring clothing from Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Senior Hidalmary Valerio, who spent the evening interviewing people, said she noticed the joy of the parents when talking about their dishes.
She said, “I saw the pride that people took within the dishes that they made.”
One notable event was Bonilla’s speech about Puerto Rico. Bonilla’s goal was to raise awareness about the country’s political and ecological issues.
She said, “You realize that people just don’t know about it. So you take each step to bring that awareness to it.”
The students who participate also appreciate the sense of community Heritage Homecoming brings.
Junior Erin Creagh-Chase said, “I just think it’s really important to not only show your other culture but also support other people’s culture.”
It wasn’t only students who were proud of Heritage Homecoming.
“Nothing can compare to how proud and excited I was when I got to see the final project developed.” said spanish teacher Mrs. Andrea Bieytes.
None of this would have been possible without Spanish Honor Society, French and Latin Honor Society, Diverse Student Union, International Thespian Honor Society, Art Club, and Green Club.
Whether it was the food or the entertainment, it all boils down to just loving and accepting each other.
