On Friday, January 31st, the public was invited to Isla Bonita Elementary School (IBES) to partake in their Culture Day. Held every year, each level from Infant one to Standard six is assigned a cultural group to represent. The projects are graded, so students must be diligent and accurate with their portrayal and research.
Each grade level had a booth set up on the school compound with information and visual displays of their assigned culture. Represented were the Chinese, Lebanese, East Indian, Mennonite, Mestizo, Garifuna, and Creole cultures. Most students were dressed in different cultural wear and animatedly presented to the guests that stopped by. At each booth, there was detailed information covering aspects such as religion, clothing, food, music, and language. The East Indian group even had a short dance they performed after concluding their presentation.
Many teachers shared the sentiment that by immersing their students into a culture, they’re able to absorb the information on a fundamental level and are exposed to the diversity they live in. This project takes weeks to prepare, so the students are constantly researching and getting their props together, while also being quizzed and tested on the information.
Some classes also used the event as an opportunity for small scale fundraising by selling different snacks or plates of food to guests. The parents also played a major role, and many were seen on the campus aiding the different classes. The event ran from 8am and concluded at 1pm. Kudos to IBES for a fun, well-organized event.
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