Every fall in October, Phoenix Military Academy hosts an event called Heritage Day. These events are the kind that everyone enjoys the most because they get to try new food, show their traditions and dance.

“I enjoyed dancing the music that was played during the event while I was there, but what I enjoyed the most was dancing zapateado. We got to have a band play all four years, there is always a group of spanish band who plays a beat with drums and we dance to it, the band plays for one hour,” said senior Jeissha Martinez.

Zapateado is a very traditional dance in Mexico, it’s mostly focused on the lower part of the body, like feet. It is a very fast dance.  The students get to dance while eating food. While it starts at the last period it lasts until after school.

“You get to celebrate your culture and your different beliefs as well as dances that students practice for days to perform in front of the whole school,”  said Martinez

It’s not always about the food or the dancing but about being proud of where they came from and what comes along with it. It feels great sharing the traditions that have been passed from generation to teach others about how they grew up fill with love and warmth.