An official website of the United States government Here's how you know

Fort Buchanan's Antilles Elementary School Celebrates Puerto Rican Heritage

By Jose LopezNovember 19, 2024

Fort Buchanan's Antilles Elementary School Celebrates Puerto Rican Heritage
Students from the Antilles Elementary School, parents, and members of the community gathered at the school's assembly hall on Nov. 19 to witness the Puerto Rican Heritage celebration in commemoration of Puerto Rico's Discovery Day. (Photo Credit: Jose Lopez) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO—Students from the Antilles Elementary School, parents, and members of the community gathered at the school's assembly hall on Nov. 19 to witness the Puerto Rican Heritage celebration in commemoration of Puerto Rico's Discovery Day.

As part of the event, students honored Rafael Hernandez Marin, a Puerto Rican songwriter and author of hundreds of popular Latin-American songs. The students also performed dance presentations to entertain the audience.

Elisa Gerena, Antilles Elementary School teacher, coordinated the event.

"Today, we are presenting our Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration, where students from

Kindergarten to Fifth grade participated. The purpose of this event is for students not from Puerto Rico to get a taste of some of our culture," said Gerena.

The teacher also described the parents' pride while watching their children's performance.

"For the students, having their parents here, as an audience, was very fulfilling. The parents contacted me before the show, thanking me for preparing this activity and allowing them to perform. They feel very proud of what their kids were doing," added Gerena.

Staff Sergeant Eric Pacheco was one of the many parents who attended the event.

"I feel excited and happy to see my daughter participate in this event. I liked all the performances and the time they took to appreciate our Puerto Rican culture," added Pacheco.

The Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration at the only U.S. Army installation on the island is a clear indicator of how the Fort Buchanan community honors Puerto Rico's rich heritage.