Summit Trail Middle School students are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with color and creativity.

Sra. Stacy Nunez's seventh and eighth grade Exploratory Spanish classes have created beautiful paper crafts modeled after the Mexican folk art style, "papel picado." The banners feature intricate paper-cut designs made from thin, vibrantly-colored paper. The tradition stretches back to pre-colonial Mexico, when Aztec people would chisel designs into tree bark to adorn temples and gathering places in celebration of cultural festivities.

Students in Patrice Lindgren's art classes are learning about another Mexican folk art style called Calaveras, known sometimes as "sugar skulls" or "candy skulls." While students did not bake the traditional decorated cookies commonly associated with Día de los Muertos, they instead studied José Guadalupe Posada and his (middle school-appropriate) lithographic representations of the Calaveras designs. Students had the chance to explore the rich traditions of a culture outside of the United States and learn about the meaningful impacts those contributions have made to society.

"Throughout this month-long celebration, our students are not only creating art but also immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Spanish-speaking cultures," said Nunez. "From influential leaders to diverse music, dance, and traditions, we're exploring it all together."

Check out some of the Grizzlies' masterpieces below: