Mexico's History in Iowa

RIVERSIDE - Four Highland High School art students study the center of the Aztec Sun Stone they are recreating from cardboard and felt.

The intricate design, a hieroglyphic and pictographic layout of Mexico's history, religion and science, is made of many small pieces - one of which doesn't fit.

"Sharpie," junior Joshalyn Stout says.

A black Sharpie is placed in her hand. Stout, 16, marks the piece, then uses a box cutter to trim it. She presses it back in the design. It fits.

For three weeks, students in Deb Serbousek's art class have worked on the center of the Aztec Sun Stone, tracing designs on cardboard, cutting them out, and covering the shapes with felt.

"I'm getting tired of cardboard," said senior Matt Yeggy, 17.

Students in two other classes are working on the stone's outer circles. Serbousek hopes to have the project finished before summer vacation - an 8-foot replica of the 24-ton monolith.

"We've never taken on something like this before," Serbousek said.

That's one of the reasons why she agreed to the project.

"I really like the collaboration, working with three classes," Serbousek said. "They have to be doing their best because it will reflect on the piece."

Collaboration was key Friday, when several classes at Highland came together to celebrate Mexican history. Art, math, home economics, industrial arts, English and Spanish classes participated in the project, bringing Mexico's culture to Iowa for a day.

Spanish teacher Peggy Guetzko proposed the project in January. Her class had studied the history of the Aztec Sun Stone and Guetzko was eager to bring her classroom lessons to life. She asked Serbousek if her art students could recreate the stone. The industrial arts class volunteered to make a stand. From there, she said, teachers approached her with ideas how they could contribute.

"People were so kind and supportive," Guetzko said. "I love this school."

"It's pretty cool how everything ties together," said Brittany Stewart, 17, a junior.

And it was a reminder for Stewart and several classmates of what they experienced when they visited Mexico earlier this year. The students lived with host families for part of the trip, immersing themselves in the culture.

"There's a lot of celebrations," said junior Addi O'Conner, 16. "A lot of them took place at night because it's so hot during the day, so that was new - staying up late and going to school the next day."