As students passed between their classes Monday on Central Campus, 23 Hispanic students gathered underneath the chiming Campanile at noon for the opening parade to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Students paraded flags from various Latin American countries beneath a cloudless blue sky. Members from 11 different organizations joined the parade and shouted for other ISU students to join them at the “Border Crossing” statue in front of MacKay Hall for opening remarks by prominent members of the Latino community.

Students strolled across campus in the warm sun of September and chatted among themselves, some in English and some in Spanish.

“Hey, you with the Frisbee,” yelled one member of the parade. “Come and join us at the [statue] for the speakers.”

After the flags were folded and the students took their seats, the opening remarks began.

Michael Whiteford, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, began his speech in Spanish to a crowd of more than 50 students and faculty outside MacKay Hall.

“It’s really fantastic to see the number of students and non-Latino students in participation here today,” Whiteford said. “Iowa needs to make more for an opportunity of Latino students.”

John-Paul Chaisson-C rdenas, administrator of the Iowa Division of Latino Affairs and keynote speaker for the opening ceremonies, said the “Border Crossing” statue, which is symbolic of the many Mexicans who have crossed the U.S./Mexico border looking for a better life in the United States, is a constant reminder of Hispanic heritage.

“It’s your voice that will make a difference,” Chaisson-C rdenas said.

Chaisson-C rdenas said it will take the Latino voice to speak up and make a difference in Iowa’s education system.

“[The educational system] in Iowa [is] unprepared for the changing face in Iowa,” he said.

Iowa’s population is becoming more diverse linguistically and culturally, and the current educational system is not ready for the change, Chaisson-C rdenas said.

Latino college students are heroes, he said. In Iowa, approximately 5.4 percent of Latino students do not complete high school.

“[The educational system] here doesn’t have the skills to handle [a group] so culturally different than the norm,” Chaisson-C rdenas said.

Melanie Rivera, vice president of the Hispanic Heritage Month committee and a junior in finance, said she was pleased at the event’s turnout but would like to have seen more students from the Hispanic population present.

“It’s very important to keep the voice strong,” Rivera said.