Meadow Hill Travels the Globe with Its 8th Annual Culture Fair
Meadow Hill School has hosted a Culture Night every April for the past eight (8) years to cast a spotlight on the richness of their wonderfully diverse community. Every year, they try to add a new element as their school and the event evolves.
Most of the families live nearby but don't always get enough opportunities to interact with one another at school. But on Culture Night, their school community turns out. It's an opportunity to be unified by pride in their children and to celebrate all the richness and benefits they get from being such a diverse community. “One of the greatest reasons we organize this multicultural celebration at our school is for the opportunity it offers our students, teachers, and families to encounter one another in celebration of what we all bring to the table,” said Mrs. Candal. It's an occasion to have fun while strengthening the academic connections to students' knowledge, background experiences, and ways of viewing the world.
Upon arrival at the school on Culture Night, students received a passport that they can complete and turn in for a prize drawing. Students earn a "passport stamp" for completing an activity throughout the fair. This encourages everyone to try new things and circulate through all the displays and activities. Students celebrated the diversity of their school community and were able to “travel” the globe without leaving MHS.
There were live performances that showcased regional music, traditional dances, henna art, Japanese writing, beautiful artwork and trifolds, and native foods. Our new performers this year were the Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center and Justice Taekwondo.
Thanks to generous donations from our local stores and restaurants such as: Longhorn, Orange Hill Bistro, Perkins, Billy Joe’s, Restaurant Depot, and Stewarts Shop Corporation, Frito Lay, Price Chopper/Market 32, Adam’s Fairacre Farm, and our very own PTO.
Thank you to everyone who attended, to our volunteers, and all who participated to make this event a success, this could not be done without you. Many thanks to Sue Noll for running around to pick up all of the incredible donations.
Special thank you Mrs. Candal for organizing this extraordinary event!
Story and photos provided by Ms. Trisha Dickson.
