Willowbrook students visit National Museum of Mexican Art to bring classroom lessons to life

On Nov. 10, about 28 students in Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level Spanish at Willowbrook had the opportunity to visit the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago to see the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibit. Students also were able to tour the murals in Pilsen (a Chicago neighborhood).

Willowbrook teacher Valeria Carrillo said the field trip was conducted entirely in Spanish, which allowed students to apply what they’ve learned in class.

“The goal of this trip was to show students they know more than they think and how awesome it is to interact with people using the language they have been studying for up to four years,” Carrillo said. “This visit enabled them to learn about Día de los Muertos and how that tradition shapes the Mexican culture and, in turn, how culture shapes the language.”