This event, which has become a highly anticipated tradition, once again surprised us with the talent and creativity of our high school students. The students worked on the artistic creation of their hats, collaborating closely with teachers from different subject areas to present a stunning show.This year, we supported a worthy cause: a recycled paper drive to benefit Christel House de México A.C. This organization is dedicated to supporting children and young people living in poverty, providing them with an education so they can become self-sufficient and responsible members of their community.Under the guidance of the art teacher, the students designed and crafted unique and creative hats. With the music teacher, they created musical medleys that complemented their presentations, while with the physical education teachers, they developed well-synchronized choreographies. The tutors supported teamwork and the development of leadership skills, ensuring that each group functioned as a cohesive unit.These efforts were evaluated by a panel of internal and external judges, including alumni and representatives from UDLAP, UP, and the Universidad de la Comunicación. Their rigorous and professional evaluation highlighted the importance and level of competition at ITJ Santa Monica's Hat Fest.This year's themes were varied and exciting, including Inside Out, Lego, Disney's 100th Anniversary, NFL, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Lilo & Stitch, Madagascar, Despicable Me, Looney Tunes, and the World Cup, among others.During the event, special recognition was given to students who excelled in artistic creation. We would like to highlight Scarlett, who has won the Best Hat of the Year award for all three of her years of high school. A special mention was also given to Gael, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his time in high school, winning the Master of his Year award for three consecutive years.At the end of the event, Master awards were presented to the groups with the highest scores across all categories for each graduating class. The winners were:7th Grade B: "Inside Out"8th Grade D: "Lego"9th Grade B: "Mario Bros."Additionally, the Big Master award was given to the group from the entire high school that earned the most points. The winning group was 9th Grade B with their theme "Mario Bros."During the presentation, we had performances by high school students who played several songs, and students from the after-school program gave a special K-pop performance.This event has been a great learning experience for our high school students, fostering creativity, teamwork, and leadership. We thank all the teachers, judges, and families who supported and contributed to making Hat Fest 2024 a resounding success. Congratulations to all the participants, and we eagerly await next year's ITJ Santa Monica Hat Fest!Watch the video
