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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| Native Liberian and Sycamore Elementary School parent Vashti Bliss teaches children about music in the Liberia Room during the school’s International and Multicultural Day on Wednesday. |
A Luncheon of Nations: Community style meal culminates elementary school’s multicultural event
Sycamore Elementary School’s International and Multicultural Day has traditionally been an annual event that has featured various cultures on display for students to learn more about. And while this year featured more of the same with the addition of new countries, there was another tradition within the tradition that was just as special.
While last Wednesday morning was about presenting and learning, the noontime luncheon in the school’s multipurpose room allowed people of all cultures to come together and share in a meal that featured foods and entertainment representing the various countries.
Serving as “Principal for a Day” during last year’s multicultural event, local realtor Bernadette Kendall decided to be a participant this year along with family and friends to present the country of Portugal to the students. Her group also provided singing entertainment during the luncheon.
“When I was Principal for a Day last year, I had a chance to see this event,” Ms. Kendall said. “Later that morning, all the principals were supposed to meet up for a luncheon back at the district office but I decided to stay here. Mr. Cooper and I then talked about doing something for next year and now here we are.”
Ms. Kendall’s native country of Portugal was just one of the countries featured throughout the international occasion. Guam, China, Germany, Japan, France, Denmark, Portugal, Samoa, Israel, Canada, Liberia, India, Korea, Kazakhstan, Nepal and New Zealand were the other countries represented.
The food at the luncheon contained an assortment of pastas as well as other cultural entrees and desserts. The duo of Pomona College students Ashwin Balakrishnan and Daniel Tehrani playing the drums and tar, along with the Ghanian-style dancing of Manayo Oddoye and Bogolo Joy Kenewendo and the singing of the Portuguese presenters made up the various styles of entertainment on display during the luncheon.
According to Lisa Romo, a presenter for Japan, the luncheon also provided a chance for the presenters to finally sit down and enjoy a portion of the event as a spectator while mingling with the other groups.
“It’s a nice reward for the hard work of the presenters because when you are presenting, you miss out on the [presentations of the] other cultures,” Ms. Romo explained. “I like that the event is also very intimate. This school is really one of the smaller ones in the district and because of the intimate setting you get to meet all sorts of different families. Plus, Sycamore is pretty diverse.” (story continues below)
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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| Sycamore Elementary School student Cody Martin learns how to use chop sticks in the China Room during last Wednesday’s International and Multicultural Day 2008. |
Representing France, the Claremont High School French Club was in attendance last Wednesday with 7 students from the club participating in International and Multicultural Day. Some members of the club were Sycamore students themselves during the years in primary grades and take joy in continuing to be a part of the Sycamore tradition.
“It’s really different coming back as a presenter,” said CHS French Club President Sara Ligorria-Tramp. “I think the luncheon was what we were looking forward to the most. The food and entertainment were amazing and it was great to come back to and see all the new countries. It was really fun.”
Yet the fun of the multicultural affair wasn’t just experienced by the adults and former Sycamore students involved. Those current Sycamore students that helped to either present a country or were simply spectators also found a considerable amount of enjoyment in the international occasion.
“I think it’s a great way for kids to find out about the different countries while also being exciting at the same time,” said Sycamore 5th grader Siri Dominguez, who was also presenter for Guam.
For Sycamore 3rd grader Mohi Andrabi—whose mother Shaila Andrabi has been the main coordinator of International and Multicultural Day for 3 years and a presenter for more than 10 years—having the opportunity to learn more about different cultures has also helped him realize that there are “fun” aspects that each country possesses.
“Sometimes you think that if you were to go to a different country that it wouldn’t be fun,” Mohi said. “But when you go to that country and see what it really is like, then you find out that country can be a really fun place to be.”
—Landus Rigsby
