Middle Schoolers Research Hispanic Americans
Susan Pizzuti-Talluto's social studies class at George Fischer Middle School celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a “race” to find out information about ten famous Hispanic Americans.
The students stopped at ten stations around the classroom to gather facts about celebrities from Bad Bunny to J-Lo and national leaders from Marco Rubio to Sonia Sotomayor, among others.
Dylan, an eighth grader, gravitated to Roberto Clemente, the Major League Baseball star who played right field for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente came from Puerto Rico and started his career in the Puerto Rican Baseball League.
“I know about Roberto Clemente,” said Dylan, whose family also hails from Puerto Rico. “Clemente was bagging groceries at a grocery store before he got recruited, but he didn’t give up on his dreams. He achieved them. My grandfather, my dad and I are all baseball fans. My grandfather told me all about Roberto Clemente.”
Hannah, 13, said she liked Jennifer Lopez, the triple threat who can sing, dance and act. Daniel enjoyed learning about Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic American to become a four-star general in the U.S. Army.
“I never heard of him before, but I like that he was in the military and he served in the Korean War,” Daniel said.
The exercise included stories of achievers in fields to meet every student’s interest.
“Hispanic Heritage month gives us an opportunity to celebrate our nation’s diversity,” Pizzuti-Talluto said. “Hispanic Americans have contributed so much to our history and culture.”