Although Cinco de Mayo is celebrated at home with family, Henríquez took the holiday one step further by hosting a Cinco de Mayo fiesta zoom meeting with her students on Friday May 8th.

As the school dismissal was extended until the end of the school year for 2020, teachers at Amador Valley High School are reaching to keep the interest of online learning for their students. Barbara Henríquez, a Spanish teacher for Spanish III and AP Spanish V, has always strived to keep her students learning the language involved in her class, especially during the holidays.

“I think that she’s planning to have a meeting with with her classes where we all come together and present some of the work we’ve created for the holiday. I’m excited for the call because I miss being in class, and the meeting will feel more like a class period with the teacher and the other kids in the class. I’m not too sure what to expect, but she always makes class exciting so I’m interested to see what will happen,” said Morgan Notari (‘22).

Cinco de Mayo represents the Battle of Puebla, where the Mexican army’s defeated the French on May 5th, 1862.

“Cinco de Mayo is not a very huge celebration in Mexico but in a way it is because it was a battle that we [Mexicans] played against the French. The sense of Cinco de Mayo is easier for Americans to say Cinco de Mayo than the Septiembre which is our regular independence day. Many times Cinco de Mayo is being told that it was the Mexican independence day and it’s not. Cinco de Mayo is a misunderstanding about our independence and it’s not, it was just a battle that we played against the French,” said Henríquez.

For the meeting, Henríquez decorated her background with cut-paper decorations and a colorful whiteboard. The zoom meeting was filled with a Spanish game called Lotería, an online card game of chance.

“As a class, I just wanted to do a sort of activity that the students were familiar with, because you grew up hearing Cinco de Mayo and I just wanted to have some sort of activity that can join us virtually and for a party just to get together. The fact that I miss you guys all and it’s a way to call you in and do something that would be fun and incorporate the culture but also a way to get closer to you guys,” said Henríquez.

This wasn’t the only holiday that Henríquez celebrated with her students. On February 14th, her Spanish classroom was filled with Valentine’s Day activities.

 “We were told the day before that we were going to be doing some activity specifically for Valentine’s Day and knowing her I always figured it would be some crazy activity but it’s always super fun and she does the wildest things. I walked in on the 14th and she made us learn a song about love, we sang it for a while, and after we reenacted a play about a girl and a boy fighting. Everyone was super confused but we couldn’t stop laughing it was super fun,” said Sindhura Appiah (‘22).

It is safe to say that the Cinco de Mayo zoom fiesta was a success for all of Henríquez’s classes.

“I just wanted to celebrate Cinco de Mayo because I feel like it’s such an interesting holiday and it really helps me learn more about the Spanish language and culture. I didn’t have any expectations going into this, I just thought that we’d speak some Spanish and have a party, but I guess it did match those expectations. In meetings in my other classes it’s not really about the culture it’s more about covering the content or focusing on schoolwork but this is more like infusing us into what the Spanish culture really is,”said Margaret Huai (‘22).