Phoenix High School Hosts Dia de los Muertos Event

Fifth graders from two elementary schools learned about traditional Dia de los Muertos customs at the high school on Thursday.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Hispanic

Bold vector editorial illustration of a tiered ofrenda with orange marigolds and lit candles against a cream wall, evoking a Dia de los Muertos tradition. — Phoenix High School hosted fifth graders from Orchard Hill and Phoenix Elementary Thursday for a Dia de los Muertos celebration organized by its Latino Student Union. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Phoenix High School hosted a Dia de los Muertos celebration Thursday for fifth grade students from Orchard Hill Elementary and Phoenix Elementary. Activities included face-painting, drawing, making headbands, and sharing traditional stories, with an ofrenda displayed at the school.

Why it matters

The celebration was designed to educate and empower students and to celebrate Latino roots at a school where Latino students make up 42% to 43% of the population. The event grew out of an offer by an assistant principal who had moved to Orchard Hill Elementary to bring students to the high school to learn about Latin culture.

Latino students account for 42% to 43% of Phoenix High School's population, and the celebration has run for four or five years. Traditional Dia de los Muertos observances are held November 1-2, and attendance totals for Thursday's event were not disclosed.

The players

Phoenix High School

A public high school in Phoenix whose Latino Student Union organized the celebration for younger students.

Angelica Lepe

A ninth grade school counselor at Phoenix High School who co-organized the event and grew up in Klamath Falls in Southern Oregon.

The details

Tables were set up for face-painting, drawing, and headband making, and traditional Dia de los Muertos stories were shared with the visiting fifth graders. The celebration was organized by the school's Latino Student Union and ninth grade school counselor Angelica Lepe.

Four or five years ago: The event began after an assistant principal offered to bring students to the high school.
November 1-2: Dia de los Muertos is traditionally observed.
Thursday, November 5, 2026: Phoenix High School held the celebration.

Culture Shift

Schools that host Dia de los Muertos celebrations for younger students extend a traditional November 1-2 observance into classroom life, as this Phoenix event has for four or five years. The program reflects a broader pattern of public schools using cultural observances to engage Latino students with their heritage.

Families in the Phoenix area with students at Orchard Hill Elementary or Phoenix Elementary may see similar cultural programs offered through their schools. Students who attended can bring the face-painting, headband-making and story traditions home to share with relatives.

The takeaway

Hands-on classroom events give younger students a direct way to learn about traditions tied to their families and communities. Schools that offer such programs can help students connect with cultural heritage at an early age.