The halls of St. Mary School were once again filled with parents, students, wonderful smells, delicious foods, as well as art & music from around the world last night. Our second annual "Flavors of Fellowship" International Night was a scrumptious success!
Teachers & students from all grade levels, Montessori Pre-K through grade 8, worked for weeks on the event. Each grade chose a country, researched the food, history, dress, artwork & culture, then prepared posters, decorations, costumes & of course FOOD from that country!
The countries represented by each grade level & the delicacies they served were as follows:
Montessori - Mexico: Mexican Rice, Corn Salsa, Fresas con Crema
Kindergarten - Canada: Butter Tarts, Nanaimo Bars, Poutine
1st Grade - Sicily: Penettone, Pasta al Sugu, Cassata Sicilia
2nd Grade - Japan: Curry Chicken, Vegetarian Yakisoba, Japanese Cheesecake
3rd Grade - France: Quiche, Ratatouille, Tarte Tatin
4th Grade - Greece: Spanakopita, Taziki & pita Chips, Cucumber Feta Salad
5th Grade - Italy: Cheese Ravioli, Meatballs, Italian Cookies
6th Grade - Costa Rica: Rice & Beans, Fried Plantains, Tres Leches Cake
7th Grade - Germany: Bratwurst, Pretzels, German Chocolate Cupcakes
8th Grade - Nigeria: Waakye (chicken, Jollof Rice, Peanut Soup
Families who attended the event purchased "passports" beforehand and were able to have two tastings from each country as they made their way through the classrooms. Alumni & parent volunteers helped serve the food and punch the passport cards, along with our teachers. Everyone enjoyed themselves and left with not only a full tummy, but a deeper connection and understanding of the cultures & ethnicities within our own SMS community!
While sampling delicious food may have been the main draw of the evening, teaching students to embrace diversity is important - it gives them the social skills necessary to thrive in a community environment. Learning about other people’s differences helps children build tolerance, respect, and empathy.
Food just happens to be one of the most fun and tasty ways to learn about a new culture, but sharing multicultural stories and folktales through diverse art literature also helps children understand others better. Many folktales have important teachings about values, and art from around the world lets students embark on imaginary journeys that teach valuable lessons about diversity and understanding.
Our children are growing up in a diverse world and it is our responsibility to show them how fun and exciting learning about different cultures can be! We hope that the fun we all had at "Flavors of Fellowship" will foster curiosity and appreciation amongst our students for the rich tapestry of our global community.
Click the link below for more photo from the evening!