Culture Night at Peshastin-Dryden Elementary School proving to be a big success

On a recent Tuesday night, students returned to Peshastin Dryden (P.D.) Elementary for a taste of the exotic and a glimpse at cultures from around the globe. Kids learned about 12 different cultures through food, music, dance, games and art.
The goal of the night? To get up to 12 stamps on their paper passport, and have lots of fun along the way.
Parents, grandparents, teachers and community members, representing each culture, welcomed children across invisible borders every time they stepped into a new classroom.
Students entering one room were greeted by the happy syncopated rhythms of choro music from Brazil. Justin Carvitto, dad and husband to teacher Melissa Carvitto, led a trio of mandolin, guitar and trumpet. He explained, “Choro is a music that was born from the cafés and streets of Rio de Janeiro in the 19th century.” Their performance was a roda do Choro, a jam session, and kids could join in with shakers and other hand-held instruments.
Food was a highlight in the Mexico room. Miriam Rodriguez, the school secretary and translator, brought a smorgasbord of Mexican treats. Even with the popularity of Mexican restaurants, most of the children experienced new flavors when they crunched on mild or spicy jicama, tried cubes of ate de membrillo and ate de guayaba (quince and guava jelly), and tasted bites of salty and sweet tamarind paste.
Following their ears again, children could watch a story unfold through the beautiful words, music and dance of Hawaiian hula, as performed by Momi Palmieri and teacher Vicki Harrod. Eager kids joined the dancers, mimicking the flowing hand motions, which represented swaying trees and ocean waves as well as emotions.
The cafeteria bustled with activity. Country representatives stood next to tables displaying traditional clothing, translated words, maps, photographs, artwork, and of course, more food samples. Chai tea was a popular item at the India table, as was sohan asali, a traditional almond candy from Iran.
Sofia Bjorklund, a mom, dressed in a Swedish folk dress and served knäckebröd with Kalles kaviar (crisp bread with smoked fish eggs) to the adventurous. She said, “I loved preparing for the culture night with my kids, seeing their pride and excitement about wanting to share their Swedish culture with their friends. It was also great for them to see all the other cultures represented, learning that a lot of families in our town have different backgrounds.”
No one would go hungry, as dinner was served. The P.D. cafeteria has expanded its repertoire of scratch cooking, and they brought out one of their best that night. Karlyn Lynn, the PTO event coordinator said, “Many people told me how great the chicken pozole and tres leches cake were.”
Children could bring home mementos from their “travels,” including Hawaiian leis and hamsa hands, a symbol of good luck in many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. They treasured the pieces of paper that held their names using letters from a different alphabet. Kids stared in amazement to see their names transformed into Japanese brushstrokes and Farsi curves, curls and dots.
The Osborn/P.D. Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) brainstormed and put on this event. The PTO has moved from the idea of doing many events per school year to one big, high quality family event. The Culture Night, with over two hundred attendees, proves their success. “It was a really fun night for both the volunteers and the people attending,” said Lynn. “I received many compliments personally, and I know the volunteers did too.”
Once students visited all twelve countries, they turned in their passports. One lucky “well-traveled” child won the prize of an illuminated globe to remember all the places visited that night.