Mendon-Upton Regional School District Holds Successful Multicultural Night

MENDON — Superintendent Maureen Cohen is pleased to share the success of the Mendon-Upton Regional School District’s Multicultural Night, which attracted more than 400 participants.

Students visited stations representing various cultures, and participated in activities to earn a passport stamp and designate them as global travelers and citizens. Activities included world travel photo booths, world games, and coloring of maps and flags.

Twenty nations and cultures were represented: Argentina, Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, England, Finland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Spain, Tonga, and Vietnam, as well as the American Sign Language/Deaf culture.

Attendees could also hear readings by Italian, Spanish, and Indian authors in the Media Center, and view performances of traditional Spanish dances and Irish step dancing in the auditorium.

Tables also highlighted countries students have visited recently, such as Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Italy. The District’s Spanish Exchange Program also was spotlighted.

For the first time, Multicultural Night featured food trucks offering world cuisine: Atrevete a Probar, Mortar and Pestle, Sweet Wise, and Bird’s Nest. And participants could take a free salsa lesson.

“In planning Multicultural Night, we took a traditional event and reframed it to be even more inclusive and representative of the different cultures in our community,” said Meagan Pike, who coordinates the District’s Spanish Immersion Program. “We couldn’t have been more pleased with the turnout and how well-received the event was. It was truly a spectacular event and we are looking forward to planning next year’s Multicultural Night with even more fun new details.”

Multicultural Night, held May 18 at Nipmuc Regional High School, aligns with the District’s global citizenship competency. Students are urged to educate themselves on global issues; respect and acknowledge other cultures and situations; engage with and develop positive relationships with those of other backgrounds; and contribute to their community by supporting others in need.

“Thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy to make Multicultural Night such a success,” Superintendent Cohen said. “Students were excited to share their traditions and heritage with their peers and others. And the organizers worked hard on outreach, and as a result the event was inclusive of our diverse Mendon-Upton community.”