Irish stew, spaghetti, fried okra, antipasto, sushi, tacquitos and plantains. These are just a few of the many dishes guests enjoyed at Riverside Elementary School's Multicultural Night. Held the week before the end of school, the evening featured a multicultural dinner, entertainment and presentations.
JoVon Rogers, who coordinated the event, said that this is the third year they've hosted the multicultural night.
"Parents bring food and artifacts from their country," Rogers said. "Because we have such diverse culture, everyone likes to participate. This is their time to shine. The event seems to grow every year."
"Last year, even though the weather was bad, we had our biggest crowd," said Lori Morton, principal of Riverside.
Parents shared their cultural background by preparing homemade dishes and wearing traditional apparel. After dinner, students and parents traveled around the school to see presentations in the classrooms, a German band in the cafeteria, the cultural exchange in the front hall and a multicultural museum in the library.
Hosted by Johanna Isani, Noel Foley and Ann Davis, the museum contained artifacts from Germany, Iceland, United Kingdom, Russia, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Egypt, Africa, Japan, China, Australia and from the North American Indians.
In the hallway, Kevin Monaghan, art teacher, had several crafts set up for the children to make, including Kente Cloth from Ghana; Mexican animal masks; and Chinese brush painting.
"It's part of our curriculum," Monaghan said. "We have a lot of kids from Ghana and Mexico."
AT WOODLEY HILL'S International Festival held that same week, approximately 800 people representing 15 nationalities attended. Barbara Dees said that each grade performed a song or skit representing a different culture.
The Mount Vernon High School Break Dancers performed, as did the Mount Vernon Community German Band. There was a white elephant swap and book exchange. Food and desserts were prepared and shared from different cultures. The children enjoyed a Piata filled with candy and parents viewed grade-level displays and reports on different cultures.