Here at Freedom, the students and faculty take great pride in the cultural diversity that is found throughout the school. Various students have unique cultural backgrounds that set them apart from the normal student. Among those with a unique cultural background is Senior Julio Velasquez. Julio is a proud first generation American with strong Hispanic ties.

“My mom is from Nicaragua and my dad was born on the border of El Salvador and Honduras,” Julio stated. “My dad’s mom was born in El Salvador and his dad was born in Honduras, so I’m proud to represent all three of those nationalities, but especially Nicaragua.”

Julio visits every year and looks forward to going to the beach the most because the weather is “too hot to do anything else outside.”

“Every time I go down there; I like to go to the beach. It’s always hot so I look forward to getting into the water as soon as possible.”

Besides the beach, Julio enjoys to spend quality time with his family who he rarely gets to see due to the distance from the states.

“I have a godson there and it’s always a good time to see him. I also really like to see my cousins. They’re really fun to hang out with.”

Night life seems to be an important aspect of socializing in Nicaragua as every night locals go out to restaurants or to clubs.

“For the young adults, going to a club is everything. Last time I visited I wasn’t allowed to get into the clubs, but this time I go I hope I can go with my family. If you can’t or decide not to, eating out is a popular thing to do as it brings everyone together.”

When in the US, Julio likes to represent Nicaragua as much as possible whether it be through sports or just talking about the country.

“I always root for Nicaragua during events like the World Cup as my sister, Nereida, always told me to be proud of my heritage. Ever since I was little, I have tried to talk positively about Nicaragua as much as I can.”

Despite his pride for his heritage, Julio wants to see an improvement in the amount of heritage pride that is at Freedom.

“I wish some of my fellow students would be prouder to be a certain heritage. If everyone had more pride for their given heritage, I believe Freedom would become more unified.”