On Oct. 29, during lunch period, the student-led Language Exchange Club created ofrendas in the display cases between the Little Theater and Spanish hallway. The ofrendas were complete with decorations of various artifacts and historical figures to honor Día de Muertos (“Day of the Dead”), a Latin American based cultural tradition to honor ancestors and deceased loved ones.
Senior club presidents Emma Quaroni and Claire Musche started the Language Exchange Club during their sophomore year to increase a sense of belonging at school for students who don’t speak English as a first language.
“In a community like Redwood, it’s hard because there’s so many people and so much going on. [We wanted to create] a space to have lunch and share experiences about what it’s like to be from a different space or culture,” Quaroni said.
Senior club members Ava Pollard, Marisol Tramontozzi and Lauren Dickerman have experienced how Exchange Club brings people together to celebrate and learn about others from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
“I’ve learned about languages that I’d never thought existed until I joined this club,” Pollard said.
The Language Exchange Club regularly hosts presentations and events on multicultural traditions, one of which being Día de Muertos.
“Some days, we speak in the languages we want to practice. Some days, we do activities [or play] Kahoots,” Tramontozzi said. “This is really special and I feel like it’s really interactive.”
“I’m remembering those who I’ve lost, but it doesn’t have to be a sad day. It’s a day to remember historical figures [and] your loved ones as well,” Dickerman said.
In a traditional fashion, the club accessorized the Día de Muertos ofrendas in the display cases with specific and symbolic elements that hold deeper meaning.
“[We used] candles for fire, papel picado which symbolizes air, sculls for death [and] the ‘cempasuchil’ marigold flowers [to] represent earth,” Quaroni said.
Día de Muertos will officially be celebrated Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 through Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025.
