VGHS Spanish classes created sugar skulls, altars, and calaveras to celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular, the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and them helping support their spiritual journey. In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle. Mexicans view it not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awake and celebrate with them. Mrs. Ana Matthews’s classes worked numerous hours hand-making a majority of the items. The sugar skulls were made in traditional fashion which takes two days to create. The masks and altars took the students two weeks to create. These projects are extremely time consuming and the students get more creative every year. The students had the opportunity to take home their altars to celebrate Dia de los Muertos with their families.