Marigold Standard

In the fall of 2025, hundreds of families filled the Kern County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield, California for the 50th celebration of Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. For Heidi Gonzalez Dyer, it was her first one since her parents' photo was placed on the altar. Her mother used to tell her that when you remember someone and talk about them, it is like bringing them back to life. "It's not sad," Heidi said. "It brings me joy."

Día de los Muertos is celebrated on November 1 and 2. Families build an ofrenda, an altar covered in photos and the foods their loved ones enjoyed. Almost every ofrenda is also covered in marigolds, bright orange flowers said to guide the spirits home. Every object on it is there for a reason, and every one of them tells a piece of someone's story. Schools and towns across the country now build community ofrendas that anyone can add to, whether or not they grew up with the holiday.

Your Task: Imagine you are on the committee building your school's community ofrenda this year, and one spot on it is yours.

1. The Person
Choose who you would build your spot for. It can be someone in your family who has died, or someone you never met who matters to you or your town, like a musician, an athlete, or a hometown hero. Say who they are and one thing everyone should know about them. (2 to 3 sentences.)

2. The Ofrenda
Choose three things to place in your spot: something they loved to eat or do, something that was theirs or reminds you of them, and one more thing of your choice. For each one, say what it shows about who they were, not just that they liked it. (3 to 4 sentences.)

3. The Story
A younger kid who has never seen an ofrenda asks you why people build these instead of just being sad. Using the person in your spot, explain it in a way a seven-year-old would understand. (2 to 3 sentences.)

Optional: add a drawing of your spot on the ofrenda if you want to. It is not required, and your writing has to make sense without it.