Recently, seniors from Profe Somoza's Spanish 5: Honors Hispanic Culture Through Film and AP Spanish Literature and Culture classes made their way to the Leo Rich Theatre for a day they won't soon forget.
The group attended a performance of Anita, a new musical by the Borderlands Theatre Company, written by Milta Ortiz and Quetzal Guerrero. Infused with cumbia, bolero, and R&B-pop, the show follows a courageous young girl who, after being separated from her parents, finds herself at the Southwest Skies youth shelter. With the help of the girls she meets there, and a savvy PR agent named Luz, Anita hatches a bold plan to reunite her family, even as the formidable Miss Guardia tries to stand in her way.
The production was a natural extension of what these students explore in the classroom, connecting themes of identity, resilience, and culture to a vibrant, living art form.
But the morning held an unexpected highlight. One of the lead roles, the big-hearted PR agent Luz at the center of Anita's journey, was performed by Zuleyl Castro, a CFHS graduate from the Class of 2020. Zuleyl was a student in Prof. Somoza's Film class, and watching her command the stage in a professional production stopped her former teacher in her tracks.
"I was surprised and so proud," Profe Somoza shared. "It was incredible to watch Zuleyl perform." After the show, the cast joined the group for a photo, a fitting end to a field trip that brought the classroom to life in the most meaningful way.
Congratulations to Foothills grad Zuleyl Castro '20 on a wonderful performance, and thank you to Profe Somoza and her student teacher, Paola Ramirez, for creating this experience for our seniors.