Every year, National Hispanic Heritage Month is takes place from September 15 - October 15. The month serves to recognize the achievements of Hispanic Americans and celebrate the history and culture of those whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. We are proud to have members of the Hispanic community represented in our own La Pietra family on campus. 

So why does Hispanic Heritage Month start on September 15? The date actually marks the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Other Latin American countries, including Mexico and Chile, also celebrate their independence on September 16 and 18, respectively. 

mr. BRENT trujillo

Meet Mr. Brent Trujillo! He teaches World History, World Geography, and American Government. 

Mr. Trujillo was born in Kansas and raised in Oklahoma. His dad's family is Mexican, and he spent his summers living with traditional Mexican-American culture such as Tejano music and Mexican cuisine.

"While I was raised primarily with my mother, I still celebrate and enjoy my Hispanic heritage," Mr. Trujillo says.

Ms. helena barreto

Meet Ms. Helena Barreto! She teaches Science 7, Biology, Marine Biology, and AP Environmental Science.

"I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil," Ms. Barreto says. "While Brazil is considered the only non-Hispanic country in Latin America, we still celebrate the freedom of our Latin America community and its cultural wealth!"

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time in the ocean taking photographs, diving and surfing!

Ms. Barreto shares a photo she took of a tiger shark during a dive in Tahiti in 2017.

sra. DENNYS salazar

Meet Sra. Dennys Salazar! She has been teaching at La Pietra since 2019 and teaches all levels of Spanish -- from the introductory class, all the way up to level 5. 

"I was born and raised in Texas, but my parents are both from Mexico," Sra. Salazar says. "Growing up, Spanish was the first language I learned, and English quickly followed."

When she's not teaching, Sra. Salazar loves spending time outdoors and enjoys hiking, surfing, or just going to the beach!