SAN ANTONIO – Local students are learning about the Day of the Dead and creating an altar to showcase at the 10th annual Dia De Los Muertos at Hemisfair.
“I am just so proud of our students,” said Herff Elementary School art teacher Shannon Cregg.
Over the last few weeks, students from Herff and Kelly elementary schools have been creating pieces to add to the altar that will be displayed at Muertosfest.
“Our students have been learning about Day of the Dead and about the history, the tradition, as well as what all these objects symbolize, because they are very, very rich with each object has a meaning,” Cregg said.
Fourth- and fifth-graders worked on the altar after school and on a Saturday.
“We have the older students making our food offerings, some things more like the traditional panda muerto, some things like food of their loved ones, like pizza,” Cregg said.
The altar will also include photos from community members of their loved ones who have passed away.
“We also worked in collaboration with Lowe’s Home Improvement store to get a lot of our materials donated to us. Also, our family members and our staff members have donated items to help decorate the half altar as well,” said Herff Elementary School Principal Kelly Allen.
Cregg said the community is coming together to help.
“Local artist is David Medina. He is a sculptor and he teaches at Our Lady of the Lake University and UTSA, and he has collaborated with helping construct the altar and just provide a lot of input and advice on how to build it,” Cregg said.