Students and Participants Share Culture, Stories, and Celebration at McGregor PACE
54 students from the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Spanish Class along with their teacher, Christine Bartzis, joined McGregor PACE participants and staff on Friday, October 16, 2026, for an intergenerational Hispanic Heritage Month Grand Finale celebration filled with cultural presentations, conversation, and connections.
Under the direction of their teacher, Ms. Bartzis, students presented the cultures, history, music, art, and literature of various Latin American countries and Puerto Rico. Presentations highlighted the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina. PACE participants and staff enthusiastically engaged with the students, sharing stories and conversing in Spanish.
McGregor PACE dietitian Diana Garrison helped make the visit possible by connecting the PACE Activity Manager Karen Lisy with Ms. Bartzis. Diana attended the program alongside her son, who was among the participating students. Adding a sweet touch to the celebration, Ms. Bartzis provided each PACE participant and staff with a traditional guava-filled puff pastry.
To thank their guests, PACE participants created beaded keychains representing the countries featured in the presentations. Each student also received a notebook with a positive message in Spanish.
The visit brought generations together to celebrate Hispanic cultures, exchange stories, and learn from one another. Participants were so delighted that they lightheartedly asked the students to return next week ! It was a joyful conclusion to McGregor PACE’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration!
If you would like PACE to partner on a program with you, contact Karen Lisy, PACE Activity Manager, or call 216.202.1626.
