Schools
Students Celebrate Multiculturalism
With the help of parent volunteers, Madison Elementary School students learn about different cultures across the globe.
students took a trip around the world on Jan. 25, all without leaving the confines of the school cafeteria.
The school's first multicultural fair in at least eight years, organized by teachers Kristen Roman and Melissa Luis, featured exhibits about Hawaii, Honduras, Korea, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico and more.
"It's celebrating our diverse culture," Roman told Patch during a break in the festivities. She added that every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, was represented at the fair. "We have the whole world represented in our cafeteria."
About two dozen parents spoke at the different booths about their culture's customs, food and more. Sharon Medina, who represented Puerto Rico, even taught students who visited her area how to salsa dance.
"Puerto Rican food is pretty intense," Medina, whose first grader attends Madison, said with a laugh when she explained why she decided to teach salsa.
Sung Park-Beach, who was one of two mothers representing Korea, dressed in a traditional Korean outfit.
"This is such a wonderful opportunity for sharing our culture," she said. As part of her booth, she explained the traditions behind the Lunar New Year.
Calling the event "such a great idea," she also added that she would "definitely" participate again next year.
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