Cinco de Mayo Activities to Celebrate Our Diverse Student Body
Looking for guidance on how to celebrate cultural events on campus? Check out these ideas for Cinco de Mayo activities at St. Agnes!
Cinco de Mayo offers high school students much more than an opportunity to enjoy Mexican food and music. When approached with care, the day can become a meaningful lesson in history, culture, leadership, and community.
At St. Agnes Academy, cultural celebrations invite students to learn from one another and appreciate the experiences and traditions represented within our community.
We believe the best Cinco de Mayo activities combine that spirit of celebration with an honest look at the history behind May 5. Learn more about how we celebrate this day each year on campus!
What Does Cinco de Mayo Celebrate?
Before planning activities, students should understand what Cinco de Mayo represents. The holiday is sometimes confused with Mexican Independence Day, which is observed on September 16. Cinco de Mayo instead commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
Today, Cinco de Mayo is commemorated most prominently in Puebla and is widely observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican and Mexican American history and culture. Understanding that distinction helps students celebrate Cinco de Mayo in a way that is both joyful and respectful.
Weaving Meaningful Cinco de Mayo Activities into Campus Life
Here’s how we encourage our faculty, staff, and students to get involved in this annual celebration!
1. Create a Student-Led History Experience
We invite students to research the people, places, and events connected to the Battle of Puebla. Small groups might explore General Zaragoza, President Benito Juárez, the French intervention, the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe, or the role of Indigenous communities in the battle.
Students can turn their research into posters, short videos, podcast episodes or interactive displays. A shared timeline can help the school community understand what happened before, during and after May 5, including the later occupation of Mexico City.
This activity moves beyond memorizing dates. It asks students to examine leadership, resistance and the ways nations preserve important stories.
2. Host a Mexican Art Exhibition
Mexico has a rich and varied artistic tradition that reaches far beyond the familiar decorations associated with Cinco de Mayo. Students can study artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, María Izquierdo, Rufino Tamayo, or contemporary Mexican creators.
After learning about their work, students might create original pieces inspired by Mexican muralism, portraiture, printmaking, or folk-art traditions. The finished work can be presented as a student-curated exhibition with labels explaining each artist, their influences, or their techniques.
Students should be encouraged to learn the history and meaning behind an artistic tradition before trying to reproduce it. This turns a craft into a genuine cultural study.
3. Explore Mexican Music and Dance
Music can bring history and culture to life. Invite a mariachi ensemble, a local musician, or a dance group to perform and speak with students about the origins of their art.
Students can also explore regional styles such as mariachi, son jarocho, norteño and banda. They might compare instruments, rhythms, clothing and regional influences or create a listening guide for the community.
At St. Agnes, mariachi music has helped make the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration a lively end-of-year tradition. Adding an educational introduction allows students to understand the artistry behind the performance while enjoying it together.
4. Share Culture Through Homemade Food
At St. Agnes, students, parents, and teachers work together to organize a Cinco de Mayo celebration complete with music, homemade food, and games. The event brings the community together while giving students an opportunity to learn more about the history, traditions, and people connected to the day.
The food prepared by parents and students is more than simply something to enjoy. Families make dishes that represent their culture, traditions and personal stories, then share them with the wider St. Agnes community. Around the table, students discover new flavors, ask questions, and learn more about the people they see every day.
A family recipe can tell a story about a region, a relative, or a tradition passed from one generation to the next. In this way, sharing Mexican food becomes an act of connection. It helps students recognize what makes each person unique while also discovering the experiences and values that bring us together.
Students can deepen the experience by creating cards that identify each dish, its region of origin, and its significance to the family that prepared it. This gives every contributor an opportunity to share not only what they made, but why it matters.
5. Plan Music and Games with Meaning
Music and games bring energy and joy to the St. Agnes celebration. Students, parents, and teachers can help select activities that encourage participation while reflecting Mexican culture with care and respect.
A mariachi performance can be paired with an introduction to the history and instruments of the musical tradition. Games might include lotería, Mexican history trivia, or a geography challenge. The piñata is always a hit! Student leaders can explain each activity so the celebration remains both fun and educational.
When members of the community help plan and lead the event, the celebration becomes more personal. Students are not simply attending a program. They are sharing traditions, welcoming others into their experiences, and helping create a stronger sense of belonging at St. Agnes.
6. Hold a History and Culture Trivia Competition
A school-wide trivia competition can make learning interactive. Questions might cover the Battle of Puebla, Mexican states and landmarks, notable women, literature, scientific achievements, Catholic traditions, music and the arts.
Teams can represent advisories, grade levels, or student organizations. Sharing a short explanation after each answer makes the game informative even for students who are not competing.
Include questions that challenge common assumptions, such as whether Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day or whether it is celebrated equally throughout Mexico.
7. Invite Students to Lead the Celebration
The most meaningful school events often begin with student voices. Cultural clubs and students with ties to Mexico can help shape the program, select activities, and identify traditions they would like to share.
At St. Agnes, our LAYA (Latina American Youth Association) and Spanish Club typically lead the planning, ensuring the celebration remains both joyful and educational.
At St. Agnes, our LAYA (Latina American Youth Association) and Spanish Club typically lead the planning, ensuring the celebration remains both joyful and educational.
Student leaders might serve as emcees, create educational displays, introduce performers, or coordinate the menu. They can also explain why cultural appreciation requires curiosity, context, and respect.
Leadership turns the celebration from an event planned for students into one created with them.
8. Connect the Day to Service and Community
A celebration of Mexican culture can also encourage students to engage with Houston's broader community. Classes or clubs might research local Mexican American organizations, support a community initiative, or invite an alumna or civic leader to speak about her experiences.
Students can reflect on how history, culture and service connect with the call to lead with integrity and a commitment to social justice. These conversations help situate Cinco de Mayo within a broader study of identity, belonging, and responsible citizenship.
Celebrating Culture with Curiosity and Respect
The strongest Cinco de Mayo activities balance fun with substance. Music, art and food can create a joyful atmosphere, but historical context gives the celebration meaning.
At St. Agnes, cultural events help students share their stories, practice leadership and build a more welcoming community. By approaching Cinco de Mayo with curiosity and respect, students gain more than an enjoyable afternoon. They develop a deeper appreciation for Mexican culture, a clearer understanding of history, and a stronger connection to one another.
Want to learn more about how we support diversity and inclusion at St. Agnes? Interested in joining or supporting one of our student affinity clubs? Contact Monica De la Cerda, Director of Community Culture, at monicadelacerda@st-agnes.org. She’d love to hear from you!
