(01/12/2023) On Jan. 6, eighth graders at Anoka Middle School for the Arts (AMSA) immersed themselves in Latin culture with the school’s annual cross-curricular event - Unmasking the Cultures of Latin America Day.

AMSA has its own collection of Latin American masks, which was turned into an exhibition in the media center. The exhibition collection was expanded thanks to the resources from the Northwest Suburban Integration School District multicultural library and generous contributions from AMSA staff members. Students did a scavenger hunt to learn more about the masks and other Latin American artifacts and instruments. 

To learn about the different styles of Latin music, the students were invited to watch a show by Salsa del Soul, a Twin Cities-based group performing various styles of dance music from the Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean.

Other classes also participated in Latin American-related activities: math classes explored the Mayan number system, ELA classes designed masks that depicted personal symbols of significance to students, and science classes examined the volcanoes in the region. View photos from the day.