From maps to masks: Nevada 4-H bridges cultures through art and education

Oct. 7, 2024

From maps to masks: Nevada 4-H bridges cultures through art and education
The youth development program is expanding Latin American cultural awareness to Clark County schools

RENO, Nev. – As the nation observes the National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrating the long-standing contributions of Latin and Hispanic Americans to its growth, culture and history, University of Nevada, Reno Extension is promoting awareness of Latin American culture in the Clark County School District through its 4-H Youth Development Program.

Through an arts-cultural curriculum titled “A Road Trip Through Latin America,”4-H Youth Development educators have immersed hundreds of fourth and fifth graders in predominantly Latino and Hispanic Clark County schools in the rich diversity of Latin American cultures.

The curriculum aims to deepen students’ understanding of their own cultural identities within the broader Latin American heritage, exploring cultural elements such as cuisine, clothing, literature, history and art. Students participate in hands-on projects, recreating Mexican skeleton art, Costa Rican embossed crafts and Brazilian jaguar masks, among others.

Originally launched by Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick as a pen-pal project in 2022 to connect students in her district with peers around the world, the program has since been restructured to align with Nevada’s social studies learning standards and integrated into the school day for about 1,000 students across 10 schools.

“Commissioner Kirkpatrick saw the project’s potential and reached out to us to help broaden its impact and reach even more students,” said Nora Luna, 4-H Youth Development Program manager for southern Nevada. “With our established network of educators and expertise in nurturing confident, globally minded youth, we have engaged hundreds of students in a short time.”

Yaritza Ileana Morales, a former teacher in the Clark County School District and now a program officer with 4-H in Las Vegas, pointed out that although Latino and Hispanic students make up half of the student population, there is a gap in curriculum-based Latin American cultural education.

“Much of the students’ understanding of Latin American culture comes from their own family’s culture and traditions, which often focus on singular groups and limits their exposure to more than 20 other Latin American cultures, ” Morales said. “This leads to gaps in knowledge and a fragmented perception of the culture, further leading to the erasure of vital cultural elements.”

Luna and Morales, both Spanish speakers from first-generation families, initially piloted the program in community centers serving minority populations. However, they soon realized a greater need to reach more students after observing a limited understanding of global cultures, including Latin American heritage.

“The best way to educate school kids is through partnerships with schools,” Luna said. “As we expanded into schools, we saw students’ curiosity about different cultures ignite. Curiosity opens their minds to new perspectives, fostering respect for diverse cultures and encouraging them to explore the world beyond their own communities. This is how we nurture the next generation of civic-minded, globally aware adults.”

The program introduces new cultural traditions each month, exploring it in detail and igniting students’ imaginations through a road trip across South and Central America, the Latin Caribbean, and Mexico. They learn to identify countries and regions on maps, recognize various cultural pronunciations, and use common words and phrases in various Latin American languages. This shared exploration fosters camaraderie among students and teachers, resulting in lively, interactive class sessions.

This year, the 4-H Extension team organized a series of field trips for participating schools to the Nevada 4-H Camp & Learning Center in Alamo, Lincoln County. More than 500 students visited the camp and engaged in team-building and civic activities, as well as fishing and wildlife interaction.

Parents and guardians of youth interested in joining the Nevada 4-H Youth Development Program can contact their local county Extension offices for more information. Adults interested in volunteering can find more details or register online, and a program representative will contact them.

– @unrExtension –

 A J.E. Manch Elementary student in the 4-H program “A Road Trip Through Latin America” showcases a jaguar mask inspired by warrior and dance masks from various Latin American cultures. Photo by Cali Larrison.