District 30 hosts International Night, a culture buffet

Students danced to “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” with American, Haitian and Jamaican flags.

Micah Danney/Herald

Vania Bawla waited for the performances to begin.

Micah Danney/Herald

Homemade food dishes represented cultures from nearly every continent.

Micah Danney/Herald

Jolina Badette, left, and Ysabel Clesca danced in front of the Haitian flag.

Micah Danney/Herald

Yumna Junaid, left, and Jannet Ashraf never lost their smiles as they danced.

Micah Danney/Herald

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A lively crowd packed the gymnasium at the Forest Road School on Feb. 26 for the school’s bi-annual International Night, a showcase of the more than 40 countries represented in its student body.

An evening of cultural performances and food was kicked off with a rousing rendition of the National Anthem, followed by traditional music, dancing and performance art, including several displays by South High School’s Cultural Arts Society.

Girls in extravagant, glittery dresses in the traditions of India, Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries took to the stage to perform synchronized dances to music native to their families’ countries of origin. Several students donned masks to act out a Japanese children’s tale. A team of several adults and children acted out the lyrics to “Banana Boat Song (Day O)” as one of the adults sang it. A diverse group of kids wore traditional Mexican clothing to dance to music from that country, and another group danced ballroom-style, dressed to the nines.

When the performances ended, the audience and participants crowded into an adjacent hallway to form a line for the food, which was organized into sections representing the cultures of each continent.

Among the attendees were District 30 Superintendent Nicholas Stirling and Board of Education President Crystobal Stewart. Stirling described the event as a showcase of the value that diversity brings to children who are raised with it.

“It’s an opportunity to express who they are and to celebrate who they are, and in America that’s what it’s supposed to be about, period,” he said. “So to live in a community where there are educational systems that celebrate the diversity — it’s not just a phrase. You see the action in place.”

Stewart said that the community’s patchwork of cultures was what attracted him to Valley Stream from New York City

“I’m overwhelmed. It’s a wonderful thing to see so many community members come together to celebrate the diversity,” he said. “Everyone feels like there’s a place for them. It’s wonderful.”

Organizer Sheliza Lopez said that the two years of planning paid off, with many residents and children ready to keep the party going past their bedtimes. “At 10 p.m. we had to literally shut everything down so people could leave,” she said.

As Stirling left, he said to one of the organizers, “My heart is so full.”