Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School marks Hispanic Heritage Month with an annual assembly featuring cumbia, salsa and student discussions about immigration, the school's student newspaper reported Wednesday, Oct. 14.
The assembly brings together performances of songs by well-known Latin artists, soccer demonstrations, quinceañera traditions and traditional costumes, Tattler writers Lucia Castro-Luna and Ella Martinez wrote. Educational presentations give students a window into different cultures and experiences. The event also addresses social and political topics affecting Latino communities, including the impact of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies.
Hispanic and Latino students make up 21.3% of B-CC's 2,377-student enrollment, according to U.S. News & World Report. District-wide, the share is larger. Some 35.2% of Montgomery County Public Schools' (MCPS) more than 156,000 students identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to MCPS enrollment data.
The school assembly comes during a month when immigration concerns have weighed on public celebrations across the county. Montgomery Community Media reported in September that some Montgomery County Latinos were weighing the risks of attending public cultural events amid concerns about ICE raids. In 2025, the Salvadoreñisimo Festival in Wheaton, one of the area's largest Hispanic heritage events, was canceled for that reason.
At the county level, the Montgomery County Council held its 13th annual Hispanic Heritage Month commemoration in early October. Council President Natali Fani-González acknowledged the political climate, saying, "Especially during these critical times when we're seeing our communities being attacked just because of who we are, where we were born," Montgomery Community Media reported.
A council proclamation noted that the county's Latino population has grown by more than 30% since 2010 and now makes up more than 22% of residents.
National Hispanic Heritage Month runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, beginning on the independence day shared by Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
