It was a full house at Travis ECHS this morning as the campus welcomed students, staff, families and the community to the Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff Celebration. 

To start the celebrations, Travis ECHS students shared their hopes for the future and how their time at Travis and the skills they've learned will help them achieve those dreams.

"At Travis, we are a family," said one, while another spoke of her hope of statrting a photography business after graduation. 

The annual event celebrates Latin culture, and this year featured vocal and dance performances by students from Zavala and Sanchez elementaries, the Travis ECHS guitar ensemble, ballet folklorico and the Eastside Memorial ECHS mariachi band. 

"Come and visit my farm, for it is beautiful," sang Zavala students dressed in red, white and green T-shirts. "El pollito says, 'Peep, peep!' Y el burro says, 'Hee-haw, hee-haw!'"

Superintendent Paul Cruz addressed the guests, highlighting the importance of culture.

"Tienen que seguir con la cultura hispana, la cultura latina," he said. "Está hermosa la cultura, y es muy importante."

The celebration continues tonight at Travis from 5–7 p.m. For more information on those events, please contact Susan Rozanc at susan.rozanc@austinisd.org.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15–Oct. 15.