Missouri School for the Deaf hosts Latin American cultural fair

Marisel Salascruz, instructor with the St. Louis Cultural Flamenco Society, leads a group of students in a flamenco routine Tuesday inside the Missouri School for the Deaf (MSD) during its cultural fair, "Festival de Latinos."
Marisel Salascruz, instructor with the St. Louis Cultural Flamenco Society, leads a group of students in a flamenco routine Tuesday inside the Missouri School for the Deaf (MSD) during its cultural fair, "Festival de Latinos."

Students from the Missouri School for the Deaf and six other schools from across Missouri took an educational trip to Central and South America on Tuesday during MSD's "Festival de Latinos."

Presenters taught students about deaf culture in countries like Honduras and Peru, and how the access to resources in those countries differ from the U.S. Students were showed how to sign in other language, how to create a pinata and how to play the Central and South America's most popular sport - futbol, or soccer.

MSD Middle School teacher Jason Freeman said the school tries to host a cultural fair every two years. MSD has highlighted Chinese and Greek cultures previously. In addition to teaching students about traditions in Central and South American countries, they also learned about deaf culture and resources compared to those in America.

Freeman said it's an experience students look back on fondly. "We're just hoping to broaden their horizons of the world around them," Freeman said.

More than 100 students from six schools came to MSD for the event.