Hunt Club Elementary School hosted a Family Heritage and Multicultural Night on Wednesday, Mar. 8, allowing students and parents from SD308 to learn about different cultures. 

With approximately 23 families presenting booths showcasing their family culture, traditions, food, and even some history, this event carried several opportunities for cultural exposure for the SD308 community. 

Performances took place throughout this event,  such as two martial arts showcases by Master Cho’s taekwondo students, and Hunt Club students performed a reader’s theater and Mexican cultural dances. In order for other schools within the community to become involved with this event, event executors also reached out to the local Home and School organization to help spread the word for the event. 

Heidi Copeland thought this event was an effective way for students and families to learn about each other, and become closer as a community. 

“We are a very diverse school community,” Copeland said. “It is important to celebrate what makes each person and family unique and special and to teach this skill to our children.”

After pausing this event due to COVID-19 restrictions, this was the fourth year in which this event took place, allowing community organizations and businesses to participate,  as well as sd308 students. 

Spanish National Honor Society (SNHS) member, Juliana Ruiz, also participated in this event, by creating a booth of both Spain and Mexico, while providing food for the attendees. 

“The SNHS sponsor, Mrs. Zayed, posted about this event, and I was really looking forward to informing families and students about my culture,” Ruiz said. “In order to prepare for the event, I had to contact a bakery to make the orders of the conchas we were supplying.” 

The night was not just focused on the art representing countries, cultural dolls brought by families, or heritage posters created by the staff, it was also combined with the spring book fair, ultimately shifting the night to a focus on literacy. This new idea by Diana  Calvillo, the lead event executor, made the event open for different activities throughout the night, and expanded the learning experience for families.

“As a multicultural educator, it is important for me to create spaces and opportunities for our students and families to participate in our school community,” Calvillo said. “As a result, we can build a valuable partnership to move all our students toward a better future ahead.”

Hunt Club is planning on continuing this tradition, and expanding their family heritage and multicultural night for years to come. 

Itzel Gutierrez is a staff writer for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl