Andalusia Elementary School held the school’s annually held Feast Around the World as the third grade classes of six students were taught about different cultures around the globe and sampled food from six different countries on Friday 19th May.
It is a program funded by an award, began around 1996. It was first introduced at East Three Notch Elementary School.
“We recognized the need for accepting other races and cultures. We recognized that the exposure of our students to different the traditions and cultures in contrast to theirs at such an stage would help them develop an knowledge of the diversity. Children learn what they are exposed to. This tradition has been in place for more than 30 years,” AES Third Grade Teacher Beth Weed said.
The food booths featured this year’s offerings of Australia, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and Ukraine. Students ate roo burgers with chips from Australia and France, as well as cheese, fruit along with French toast from France with tiramisu, pizza rolls in Italy as well as fried rice eggs, pineapple, egg rolls and Japanese sweets from Japan Taquitos, taquitos, and Mexican popsicles from Mexico and blueberries. Crazy Bee jelly candy, vareniki, and kolach made from scratch in Ukraine.
This event will be integrated into the third-grade curriculum during all of the year.
“We love inviting our people from the community, businesses and parents to join us. We provide information about every country in the world throughout the year, and the final celebration is one students are looking forward to throughout the year. They make their own costumes and the excitement is incredible to witness .”
Weed also said that the classes in third grade are taught about a variety of countries.
“Each class decorates and prepares food and refreshments for their booth. Sometimes, we change the countries in response to events of the day or the students in our classes. It’s great to have students talk about his or his/her own culture with peers. Many times, we utilize our students as sources to gain first-hand experience. This year, it was Emi Bzhezinska. She is a part of our community after having left Ukraine because of war. Her stories are fascinating. She and her mother Ivanka have taught us so much regarding Ukraine and the conflict that is taking place in that .”
Students can master a range of topics through taking part in the programme.
“Christmas all over the world” is a theme we apply during the Christmas season. In math, we integrate populations, distances and charts. We’ve also studied many famous artists and art exhibitions and even designed the artwork of our very own African masks and Monet’s Impressionist paintings, Italian mosaics as well as Asian origami. We’ve toured virtual versions of the Eiffel tower as well as The Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the London Eye as well as enhancing our maps in social studies,” she said.
Weed said that the help from the community and her teachers is everything to her.
“I would not be able to perform my work without the help from my Andalusia community as well as my parents as well as my coworkers. Mary Ashley Wise makes our annual picture passports and also supplies the stamps needed to stamp our passports. The money we receive is financed by the Andalusia City School’s Foundation. It’s true that it takes a village” she said.
Ashley Richburg’s group represented Australia. Stephanie Pierce’s group represented France. Dianne Chavers’s class was representing Italy. Amber Campbell’s group represented Japan. Ann Pugh’s classes represented Mexico. Beth Weed’s class was representing Ukraine.
The notes are taken home by parents, asking for volunteers to help with the cooking and setting up booths and working in the booth that day for the final celebration.
“It is vital to promote acceptance and understanding of racial and cultural differences. Understanding other cultures fosters tolerance. We want our children and adults to be tolerant and understanding about other cultures to theirs. Learning about other cultures can help children to become more accepting, open and accepting of those who differ from them,” Weed said.
For more details about Andalusia Elementary School’s Feast Around the World program, please call 334-222-1224.
The article GALLERY: Third-grade AES students take part in the ‘Feast Around the World’ was originally published at The Andalusia Star-News.
