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By Kelly WhiteImage may be NSFW.
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Marist High School appreciates the wide array of culture that walks its campus hallways on a daily basis.
In order to celebrate, the high school, 4200 W. 115th St., Chicago, hosted its second annual Celebration of Culture on March 14.
During the free event, students, faculty and staff represented their different cultures with displays, food, music, dancing and presentations.
“The Celebration of Culture was a student inspired event that highlights different cultures and ethnicities represented here at Marist High School,” LaToya Hayes, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, at Marist, said. “This was an amazing opportunity for us to learn a little bit more about each other.”
Hayes, along with faculty, staff and students help, was responsible for organizing the cultural celebration.
There were displays throughout the main gym that represented different countries and ethnicities present at the high school, such as the Philippines, Nigeria, Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Mexico, Latin America, Greece and more.
These decorative table displays were created by staff and students during and after school and included knowledgeable cultural traditions, food tastings, basic information on the cultures and life in these countries.
All Marist attendees were able to invite family and friends and mingle with other students and their families while engaging with different cultures and exploring cultural displays, experiencing diverse performances and sampling ethnic cuisine.
“I love that we have dedicated time and space for the Marist community to celebrate and experience various cultures,” Hayes said. “I hope students left feeling enlightened, valued and celebrated at Marist High School.”
Students had nothing but positive things to say about the night.
“Marist’s celebration of culture night is a way for our student body to honor and explore each other’s differences in a way that’s both respectful and fun. From sharing food, to music, and even traditions, culture night boasts a wide representation of the cultures that our many students celebrate and hold dear to them,” Marist senior, Jake Tinoco, 18, of Chicago, said.
And, his fellow classmates agreed, including senior, Maris Hollimon.
“I am so glad that we started the Celebration of Culture because it gave me the opportunity to celebrate cultures that I wasn’t previously educated on,” Hollimon, 18, of Country Club Hills, said. “I am very happy that we are holding this event this year and I hope this becomes a lasting tradition here at Marist.”
