Uniendo Raíces y Colores
Uniendo Raíces y Colores was written by the students of the Spanish Honor Society at Manual Arts High School and published in 2025
Introduction
Thank you for opening the pages of this book. We have so many memories that many times we only get to keep in our photo album and in our minds. The writing of this book brought so much joy and excitement to the students and myself, as sponsor of the Spanish Honor Society club. Through this project we can now share how our students felt as they were part of this club and as they participated in our Spanish Honor Society activities and events. Throughout the year, SHS meets to plan and create new ways to demonstrate our Hispanic/Latino Culture to our school community. Now, thanks to 826LA, which has given us the opportunity to showcase the great job that our club has done throughout the year, we will be able to share with those who read our story.
Spanish Honor Society, where our student’s diversity and culture come together. Everyone’s identity is valued and respected. It is a place where students are given the opportunity to work together and acquire useful skills such as communication, teamwork, taking responsibility and initiative, being creative, and becoming aware of the different cultures and traditions in our Hispanic/Latino community. Our students are Mexican, Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Colombian, Belizean among others, and we encourage students to participate in clubs and allow their creativity and open-mindedness to grow. In the Spanish Honor Society Club, we push the students to open their minds and hearts to bring out who they are and where they come from, so that our Latino/Hispanic culture may come to life in the events and activities that we sponsor.
Throughout the years, I have seen many students come and go, but their memories we will always treasure. Their names, talents, and hard work remains as a footprint that we will always remember and cherish in our hearts.
-Marta Bachez-Allegria
It was somewhat of an accident that I got to meet the wonderful group of students and teachers involved in Spanish Honor Society. In an effort to support the college bound students at Manual Arts as much as possible during personal statement season, I had started meeting with them whenever possible. I’d chase them down during lunch, during classes, in the hallway, whatever time and place they told me was most convenient for them, I would make myself available. One of those convenient places was during a Spanish Honor Society club meeting. I’d heard of this club from other students’ writing, about how this club had a positive impact on their lives and helped them create a community of supportive people that overtime became like an extended family, but this was my first time understanding why. I immediately felt welcomed. I remembered how easy it was to feel lost in high school because there’s so much change happening both externally and internally during such a short period of time that it sometimes feels easier to endure alone and try to move forward than it is to let people in. I’m glad I was able to experience a moment in time of this club's history and share it with future students who might feel lost and alone in the perpetual turbulence that is high school. People who would benefit from being part of a club like Spanish Honor Society. If you are not a Manual Arts student or attended high school hundreds of years ago like me, I hope this book motivates you to find your Spanish Honor Society. Parts of this book are in Spanish and English because I wanted the students to express themselves in whatever way felt most comfortable.
-Marco Beltran