Each year at Mount Carmel High School, students and faculty come together and create an ofrenda, a special altar to honor loved ones who have passed away. The ofrenda is part of the Día de los Muertos tradition, and for many in the school, it holds a deep meaning.
For some students like junior Tommy O’Connor, the ofrenda is a way to remember someone very special.
“My grandpa was a very important person to me in my life, and every opportunity I can get to remember him, I will try and show it,” said O’Connor. This year, he placed a card with his grandpa’s name on the ofrenda, honoring his memory.
The tradition of building an ofrenda at Mount Carmel High School started about five or six years ago, according to Antonio Godinez, a teacher at the school.
“My mom asked me if we wanted to do one here at Mount Carmel, and I said yes,” Mr. Godinez recalled. Since then, the ofrenda has become larger each year, with more students and faculty members participating by adding photos and mementos of their loved ones.
Mr. Godinez explained that the ofrenda is not only a way to remember the dead but also to celebrate their lives. “The elements that are included are water, which symbolizes life, and salt, which also represents life,” he said. “Then you have photos of your loved ones and items that represent things they liked.”
The ofrenda is part of the holiday Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, particularly important to the Latino community. During this time, families remember and honor their ancestors by making altars with food, candles, and personal items. At Mount Carmel, this tradition has grown, and now students from different backgrounds can join in and learn about its meaning.
For O’Connor, the ofrenda is not just about participating in a school tradition–it is personal. “My grandpa worked here in the security office, and he loved Mount Carmel more than anyone I know,” said O’Connor. “So I thought it would be important to remember him in the place he loved the most.”
By placing his grandpa’s card on the ofrenda, O’Connor feels a deep connection to both his grandfather and the school. “It means to me that my grandpa was not alone on that table. He was along with people who loved Mount Carmel as much as him and students who cared about their loved ones as much as I do.”
As the ofrenda at Mount Carmel has grown, more students have felt encouraged to share their own stories and memories. “Little by little, people are coming here, putting up images of loved ones, and just honoring them,” said Mr. Godinez. He believes that the ofrenda has become a way for the school to celebrate life and create a sense of community.
The tradition has brought a mix of emotions for those involved, from sadness to joy. “When we are putting it together, I think about my grandparents,” said Mr. Godinez. “I think it is an amazing way to honor them.”
O’Connor shared similar feelings. “Me participating in this ofrenda really helped me be happy knowing that I was doing this for my grandpa. I know that he was looking down on me, seeing I was doing that for him, and I bet he couldn’t be happier with what I was doing and where I was doing it at.”
Over the years, the ofrenda has grown in size and visibility at Mount Carmel. “I think the ofrenda at our school has gotten bigger, and people are more than welcome to bring images of their loved ones,” said Mr. Godinez. What started as a small altar under a staircase has now become an important part of the school’s celebrations each fall.
As more students add to the ofrenda each year, the tradition continues to evolve, continuing to grow as an important part of Mount Carmel High School’s identity.
