By Alexis Poe/ reporter
SE’s Hispanic Heritage Month kicked off with The Legacy of Our Lives Sept. 15 featuring a motivational speaker, music and scholarship announcement.
Raul Villarreal, General Motors area manager and mentor of the Hispanic Initiative Team, explained how his past contributed to his success. Villarreal’s grandfather illegally crossed the border at 14 years old, and Villarreal grew up in the Corpus Christi government projects.
He urged students to find their voice because he believes communication is what employers like him look for, not where applicants come from or what they look like. Villarreal said he cherished his fifth-grade teacher, who he says helped him find his voice.
“Opportunities will come when you least expect them,” he said.
Villarreal asked for a volunteer from the audience to answer the question, “Which president’s face is on the $50 bill?”
The first volunteer could not answer. Another volunteer answered correctly, and Villarreal presented her with a $50 bill for participating.
“It just goes to show that what he said about opportunities opening when you least expect them is true,” the student said.
Following Villarreal’s presentation, Grupo Pakal, a Mayan performing arts company, performed ancient Mayan ceremonial dances. Wearing extravagant head dresses of colorful feathers, painted faces and bodies and traditional Mayan costumes, Grupo Pakal introduced the students to cultural history.
Maria Delgado, SE supplemental instruction coordinator, said student activities is giving scholarships to students who participate in each of the upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month events. She said the scholarships are not limited to Hispanic students but open to all ethnicities. Students can contact SE student activities at 817-515-3595 for more details.
“I think it went great,” Delgado said. “I really appreciate that Mr. Villarreal spoke about communication being so important to employers and that students all have the ability to achieve great things regardless of their background.”
