In Hoboken: Hispanic Culture Club Hall of Fame Welcomes First Inductees

On Wednesday, June 3, Hoboken High School will host the 1st Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration. The free, public celebration is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Hoboken Junior Senior High School Auditorium.

The event will feature the inaugural Hispanic Culture Club Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, during which officers will introduce the hall’s first inductees to the public.

In addition to the introduction ceremony, there will be an induction of officers, music and the debut of an original documentary titled “Hoboken Habla.”

“The purpose of the Hispanic Culture Club Hall of Fame is to recognize individuals who have made a positive impact in the Hispanic and Hoboken community,” Hispanic Culture Club Adviser Christopher Munoz told Patch.

“For most Hispanic families, celebrating culture is not particularly difficult. It frequently permeates our lifestyle embedding itself in our psyche. But the Hispanic Culture Club is the perfect opportunity to delve more deeply into the history of our ancestors and help create an intimate knowledge of the role that Hispanics have played in the history and psyche of the United States and Hoboken, as well as the affect they’ve had on our culture.”

Initial inductees will include:

• Edith Negron Vega – Served as a teacher and principal for 33 years in the Hoboken Public School system
• Luz Durando – Teacher of the Year (2006) and Latina Educator of the Year (2010)
• Maria Morales – Longtime Hoboken educator (bilingual teacher, district desegregation expert, vice principal)
• Ruben Gonzalez –Hudson County Teacher of the Year (1994); Puerto Rican Cultural Committee as Educator of the year (2011)

Together, the initial four inductees have a combined 145 years of service to the Children of Hoboken, the Hispanic and Hoboken communities, Munoz said.

“These four individuals are leaders, mentors, and a source of inspiration to the students and staff,” he added.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Munoz

Pictured above: The Hoboken High School Hispanic Culture Club

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