Día de Los Muertos Comes Alive at Islander Middle School

Thanks to grants from the Mercer Island Schools Foundation and the Islander
Middle School PTSA, students in Mrs. Anderson?s and Mr. Ojeda?s Eighth grade
Spanish classes will experience the Oaxacan celebration of Día de Los
Muertos (Day of the Dead) in a multi-faceted and multi sensory approach that
integrates fine art, music and Mexican food. The experience will be shared
with Islander Middle School Sixth and Seventh graders and the Mercer Island
Community.

During the first week of November, to correspond with the traditional Día de
Los Muertos Festival, Eighth grade Spanish students will work with
Artist-In-Residence, Jose Orantes to create ?tapetes? or sand paintings, a
culturally-specific art form in which paintings are created on sand using
powdered tempera paint.

This art and cultural enrichment program will enhance Islander Middle
School?s existing curriculum and will culminate on the evening of Friday,
November 7th. Please join us from 5 - 7 PM in the IMS Library as we unveil
the students? completed sand paintings. Local entertainment is planned and a
Mexican dinner will be available for purchase.

Event: Día de Los Muertos Celebration
Date: Friday, November 7, 2008
Time: 5 PM to 7 PM
Where: IMS Library and Commons

If you?d like to volunteer and/or would like more information about this
program, please contact Eighth Grade Spanish Teacher, Mrs. Anderson at
Allison_anderson@misd.wednet.edu or Jenny Maeser at jmaeser@comcast.net.

*Please note that November 7th is also the night of the IMS Ski Swap
Consignment Goods Check-in and Presale. Please come to the Día de Los
Muertos Celebration for Mexican food, some authentic music and to admire the
sand art before your shift or presale shopping (for Ski Swap volunteers
only).