Mexican Independence Day celebration
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Students at Sallie B. Howard hold the program every year to “celebrate the cultural history of these great people.” During the school-wide program, Santa Maria and David Simon, one of the school’s former students, performed the Polka el Tamatal, which is a dance that comes from northern Mexico.
The program reminds the students that Sept. 16, 1810 is the equivalent of July 4, 1776 for Americans. Students encouraged to not confuse Tuesday’s celebration with Cinco de Mayo because Cinco de Mayo is not the same as Mexican Independence Day. People often confuse the two observances.
Sallie B. Howard, Wilson County’s only charter school, has a large and growing Hispanic student population.