As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools.
30 Apr 2001
Schoolchildren across the Dallas Independent School District will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo throughout the week with jamaicas, fiestas, special programs and assemblies. The Cinco de Mayo (May 5) celebration is a national observance that commemorates Mexico's defeat of French invaders in 1862.
The Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Sunset High School begins with the presentation of three $1,000 scholarships by Juan Marishal, minister of baseball in Dominican Republic. The scholarships are funded by Verizon Communications. The scholarship presentations will be the first of several activities planned for an assembly scheduled at 2:30 p.m., Friday, May 4, in the school's auditorium. The school is located at 2120 W. Jefferson Street. (MapscoŽ key 53H) The student performances during the assembly include Sunset's Mariachi Band and Ballet Folkloric Group said Daniel Menchaca, principal. "The Cinco de Mayo Celebration brings students to a higher level of awareness of whom they are in terms of their cultures, traditions and customs," he added.
At J. L. Long Middle School, a Cinco de Mayo Jamaica is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, May 4, on the basketball court. The outdoor carnival will have food booths, folkloric dancing and games indigenous to the Mexican culture, Ida Escobedo, assistant principal, said. "Because we live in a multicultural society, activities like the carnival help us to teach children about the many cultures represented in our schools," she said. The middle school is located at 6116 Reiger Avenue. (MapscoŽ key 36Z)
Principal Katie Watson said the students at Harrell Budd Elementary will experience a day of sharing of the Hispanic Culture. The all-day event, scheduled for Friday, May 4, includes guest speakers, musical performances, games and instructional activities. "It is an important celebration for the students in our schools. We live together and work together. This celebration gives us another opportunity to learn together," Watson said. The elementary school is located at 2121 Marsalis Avenue. (MapscoŽ key 55N)
For news and information about the Dallas Independent School District, visit www.dallasisd.org