On October 17, 2024, the Creekview High School Los Stangs Folklorico Company and Mariachi Mesteno performed at Noche de Hispanidad, an annual hispanic heritage event that occurs before Creekview’s varsity football game. 

Noche de Hispanidad was founded three years ago, inspired by a conversation between Mrs. Karla Hardaway, director of the program, and Coach Tony Castillo, Creekview’s former athletic director. They recognized the importance of connecting the community through cultural celebrations during a football game in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Preparation for this event involved rehearsals every other day, with the goal of celebrating and uplifting the Hispanic community within the school district.  

Additionally, the Los Stangs Folklorico Company received a generous grant from the CUTX (Credit Union of Texas) Charitable Foundation. The funding supported the purchase of new costumes, allowing the program to continue its mission of promoting cultural heritage and engaging the community.

“We are incredibly proud to support the Los Stangs Folklorico Program,” said Eric Pointer, President & CEO of Credit Union of Texas. “The pride and dedication these students bring to their performances is truly inspiring, and we’re honored to play a part in their success. Celebrating culture and traditions is at the heart of our commitment to investing in the communities we serve.”

The partnership between Creekview Folklorico and the CUTX began when Hardaway met Janie Worst, a member of the board of directors for CUTX and the CFBISD Educational Foundation. Recognizing the alignment of their goals, the CUTX’s Charitable Foundation awarded a $6,000 grant to support the purchase of 24 custom-made dresses representing the state of Jalisco, Mexico.

The Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Educational Foundation also provided a $1000 grant to the Folklorico program to help with travel expenses to various shows and performances. 

“We are so honored to support this thriving program,” said Donna Wald, Executive Director of the CFB Educational Foundation. “Our students are simply amazing and we are thrilled to provide them with support.”

More about the Creekview Folklorico Program:

Creekview Folklorico offers students the opportunity to learn and perform traditional dances from various Latin American cultures. Students in the program must pass auditions and maintain strong academic and disciplinary records, just like other varsity groups. Creekview offers Folklorico classes to all dance students in the program as a Folklorico Unit.