On Thursday, October 10th, in our school’s auditorium, the Hernandez celebrated the grand opening of our Blanca Burgos Writers Room, run by youth publishing company 826 Boston and supported by HASP. The event focused on the effort it took to get this writer’s room off the ground, the new partnership between 826 Boston and Friends of the Hernandez, and the legacy of Blanca Burgos, a valued educator at our school who passed away in 2017.
The money for the writer’s room was raised through the valiant efforts of the Burgos Family, who started fundraising for a place where children could improve their reading and writing skills in Spanish and English after Blanca’s death. This project also found support in our administration. Ana Tavares, a past Hernandez Principal, greenlit the project and while our new principal, Carolina Brito saw the plans through to their completion. Their dedication to this project makes sense in light of the vital part Blanca Burgos played in the lives of Hernandez students.
Her love of learning, language, and the students she taught was a constant theme throughout the October 10th event. Several of her past students were in the audience, including Cynthia Lopez, who now works with 826 Boston in our writer’s room and was a long-time staff member in HASP. In turn, a new generation of teachers and writers were celebrated when Joshua read a poem in Spanish. and Leinad read a poem about the political control of female bodies. The event also had heartfelt words from the Burgos family including Michelle Burgos, Blanca’s daughter, who is our Leader of Teaching and Learning here at the Hernandez.
All in all the event made it clear that Burgos’ memory lives on in the words and deeds of her students. The impact that teachers can have on their students is the reason our school fought for the Blanca Burgos Writer’s Room across administration change and lack of funds. It is the reason that teachers come to the Hernandez every day ready to mold young minds. Come and visit the room any time, located on the ground floor next to the lunchroom!
