This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

National Hispanic Heritage Month and More—5 Things You Should Know for Thursday Sept., 15

And, Geneva Middle School North parents become students for a night.

The importance of Latin America is celebrated from today through Oct. 15. You might be surprised to learn that the Spanish were in the United States long before the other European colonies. 

Also, if you've ever thought about opening your own retail store, you can still hurry and register for a workshop tonight aimed at small business owners. 

And, the city of Geneva would like your opinion on dining out. It only takes a second to participate in their online poll. Find out more below. 

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here are five things going on today, Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011:

1. for a night and shadow their child's daily schedule during back-to-school night at 7 p.m. This event gives parents the opportunity to see what the school day consists of and is a good opportunity to meet teachers and other parents. This is also the time to buy school spirit-wear, such as sweatshirts and T-shirts. 

Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

2. If you've ever considered opening your own retail business, you might want to attend the , sponsored by the Small Business Development Center at Waubonsee Community College. This class is from 6 to 9 p.m. and costs $30. 

Registration is required, but the workshop is still open. For more information go to the Waubonsee website.

3. The city of Geneva would like your opinion in their weekly poll. This week's question is, "How often do you eat out at restaurants in Geneva?". To access the poll go to mygovhelp. 

4. Head over to the RendezVu in Batavia and participate in their . A portion of your bill and waitstaff tip will be donated to the Batavia Mothers' Club. The Batavia Mothers' Club Foundation dedicates themselves to improving the quality of life of children in our community through philanthropic endeavors. For more information, visit the Batavia Mothers Club website. 

5. Fun Fact: Today begins National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated until Oct. 15. Sept. 15 was chosen as the start of this celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month also celebrates the longstanding presence of Latin American's in the United States, going back to the 1500s. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?