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John Wilson Students Learn Other Cultures As They Feast
Coordinated by ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher Randi Goldman, the International Feast was designed to allow students to share parts of their culture and heritage. Students from nine different countries brought in foods that they and their parents prepared. Foods ranged from Haitian fried plantains with frankfurters, salad and hot sauce to roast pork lo mein from China to Dominican platanos with salami and onions to Mexican pineapple upside down cake for dessert. Many of the students had never seen some of the foods and were intially hesitant to sample the fare. But they seemed to follow their leader. “Once I took a taste of something new, the rest of the students followed,” said Principal Buffie Sim-mons-Peart. “It’s amazing what you can learn about people simply by sharing a meal and having a discussion about the food you are eating.” “Music and dance were two of the uniting factors for all the students,” added Goldman. “Watching our kids share what it was like to grow up in different countries before they came to America was a beautiful experience, not only for them, but for the teachers as well.” “I had a good time because I learned about different songs and holidays from other countries,” said Yusra Algozy, a seventh grader from Yemen. “The room was decorated with pictures from so many different countries,” added Alejandro Espejel, a Mexican sixth grader. “I liked all the foods because they were interesting,” noted eighth grader Jessica Theophile. “I loved seeing how foods from my country were prepared in different ways.” “I.S. 211 students are a diverse population,” added Simmons-Peart. “It is our responsibility as educators to see to it that all of our students learn about those who are not like them. Our multi-cultural program of support, sharing and education is one step towards making our students productive members of society.”
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