By ELSIE MORALES

Contributing Writer:

Senior Sarah Thomas honored her culture by wearing a traditional dress and decorating the altars dedicated to Selena and Jenni Rivera for Dia de los Muertos.

“I get to dress up all ethnic,” Thomas said. “It’s important to celebrate the dead as if they were alive.”

Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a holiday when people honor and remember friends and family who have died. Students at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School celebrated this holiday on Nov.1. They decorated colorful altars to honor those who have passed away. There were altars dedicated to journalists including Daniel Pearl, singers Selena and Jenni Rivera, and President John F. Kennedy.

“(It’s) to celebrate and honor those who we love and admire. Also to celebrate our lives,” said junior Stephanie Chavez on why this event is important to her.

This is the fifth year Daniel Pearl Magnet High School students have set up altars. There were 10 altars set up, dedicated to journalists, musicians, and other historical figures. The altars were decorated with pan de muerto which is a type of sweet bread, framed pictures, posters, papel picado and marigolds. There were lots of candy skulls, oranges and almonds too.

“I find it interesting how people get really involved in this event,” junior Crystabel Muñoz said.