Visiting the world on Multicultural Day

All three school divisions congregate in Hessel Hall, flags from across the world line the stage and student performers warm up their voices or muscles in the halls. Each year in April at Lawrence Woodmere Academy, we view these things with excitement and wonder. The Multicultural Assembly is about to begin.
The event, while focusing on the backgrounds of the students and faculty at school, celebrates an abundance of cultures from all around the globe. Daniel McMenamin, the assembly’s organizer began with a question: “What does the word multicultural mean to you?” He went on to say that the word probably means something different to each of us (who come from a very diverse school) than it does to people who are only exposed to a few cultures. I rarely stop to think about that fact, but on this day I realized how lucky I am to be able to speak regularly with people who come from a variety of unique backgrounds.
The celebration continued with an Israeli teacher and students who told the audience that it was Israel’s Independence Day. They showed us a variety of technological advancements that Israel has made to change the world for the better. The information they shared was news to many, including me. One invention I found to be the most impressive was the mini spy camera. This camera is the smallest in the world, measuring at less than .15 mg.
There were two student-made videos recorded on the service learning trips which LWA kids went on this year. For the past couple of years, students have embarked on journeys overseas to study and to become immersed in other cultures. The first shown video was from the Dominican Republic. This video diary encompassed the many service projects and adventures the students took part in this past February. Some of the projects were building an arboretum at a school, painting the dugouts at a baseball field and helping out in the classrooms at an after-school program. The other video recorded the trip taken by French classes who traveled to France and Switzerland as a part of an exchange program. The videos maintained the student’s interest as those who didn’t go on either trip were curious about the places where their friends ventured.
One student performance which really stood out was the song presented by the Italian Club. Senior Miles Britt sang “Volare” in Italian. He got the crowd to sing and clap to the catchy chorus and the easy rhythm. Students and teachers all rejoiced in what some kids said was the “highlight of the assembly.” Although Miles doesn’t speak Italian, his hard work and dedication paid off in his unforgettable performance.
At LWA, we really are at home with the world. Through performances, video blogs and spoken presentations the Multicultural Assembly highlighted how worldly we truly are. I’m sad that I will only have one more of these awesome assemblies to attend before I graduate next year.