By Roshwitha Buduri, Staff Writer
Students enrolled in the National English Honor Society (NEHS) came together on the 11th of September for a cozy, serene reading and book discussion about books with Hispanic backgrounds.
This month, from September 15th to October 15th, is the celebration of Hispanic Heritage. Many celebrations take place at River Hill, such as the 2nd Annual Hispanic Heritage Assembly and the Hispanic Hawks Club Spirit Week. To commemorate the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, NEHS arranged for a get-together for members of the society to indulge in the stories shared by authors of Hispanic heritage and books that contain the values of being Hispanic.
The environment was lively in the beginning as the officers discussed the agenda of the meeting. However, the laughter dimmed down as the lights did when the first book discussions began. Mrs. Shagogue started with the introduction of They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera and Just Say Yes by Goldy Moldavsky. Both books were presented due to their strong hispanic ties. Mr. Ahr continued with Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s Marina, which he described as similar to the TV show Wednesday, due to its gothic style. The audience erupted in laughter.
Following the discussion, junior Mira Kalirai noted, “The [book] that was similar to Wednesday was interesting.”
Members of NEHS then scouted around the Media Center’s book displays to find an intriguing book of their own. There were many books to be taken off and looked over, but some had a paper with information based on the book with QR codes. Once their selection was picked, they went back to a table to press their hands on the first page. This was a time for students to dive into new perspectives.
Some students chose books based on how interesting they looked or sounded. During the event, Mira picked out Family of Liars by E. Lockhart. When asked if she’d check the book out, she responded: “Depends on how invested I am.”
Junior Suriya Kalirai picked out Infinity Sun by Adam Silvera. Her gravitation to the novel was attributed to her familiarity with the author, “I [have] read two other books by him.”
In regards to They Both Die at the End, Mrs. Shagogue states about her book selection that it has all the right vibes in the right place. When asked if she’d recommend Just Say Yes, Mrs. Shagogue says, “I like a cutesy romance.”
After some time of reading, some students made their way to the bookmark station. Bookmarks of diverse sizes, shapes, and colors were created. The event ended with the fading of music and the cheery laughter of the participants.
Reading is an important part of learning about other cultures. Each book contains stories that need to be spread to inform others of perspectives in which they do not experience on a day to day basis. Mrs. Shagogue elaborated on her book selection, indicating that “it’s so important to share the background[s] especially given the climate.” This “climate” is in regards to recent increased tensions between Hispanic communities and immigration.
NEHS’s Hispanic Heritage Month was a warming gathering of those who value reading in their day-to-day life. It is also a wonderful time to stress the importance of diverse reading. Opening the crispy cover of a new book is representative of opening your mind to the stories that they give. Books are meant to be a pastime that makes a meaningful impact and gives a lasting impression. As Mrs. Shagogue notes when discussing The Both Die at the End, “The book stays with you.”