Howell Road celebrates its cultural diversity

Hollow Road School hosted a Multicultural Night extravaganza on June 10 to celebrate the many diverse cultures in the community. Students and parents got to see some lavish fashions and indulge themselves in the three F’s — fun, food, and family.

The event kicked off with a few rounds of board games in the gym. Students entertained themselves with games like Sorry, Mastermind and Chinese Checkers, while parents playfully watched. In the background, there were a variety of dolls and statues on display that represented many distinct cultures like Africa and China, which the crowd found to be a great treat.

Third grader Joseph Pandrowitz was very excited about the event. “Today we are celebrating cultures,” he said. “I am looking forward to looking at everything.”

PTA Fundraising Vice President Ray Mohamed, who was the chief organizer of the event, was also excited. “This is what I do,” Mohamed said. “It is great especially when people come out because we usually have a great turnout.”

What a great turnout it was, Mohamed said. Despite the cancellation of last year’s Multicultural Night, this year’s event was a hit among the community with about 200 people in attendance.

Safiya Campbell, an Elmont resident whose child attends the school, said she likes to come every year. “I think it is important for students to learn from an early age about diverse cultures [represented] in their community,” Campbell said. “There is a level of acceptance and understanding about how others live in other parts of the world that comes from this event.”

All of the children were not only able to express their own culture, but to learn about others. After several guests finished their board games and talked over pizza, 10 students acted as storytellers, reading books from around the world to the crowd. The books, which included “The Hatseller and the Monkeys” by Baba Wague Diakite,” were an audience favorite.

Edith Guilerez enjoyed the show with her daughter, Sara, and some other family members. Though it was her first time attending the event, she proudly represented her El Salvador heritage and expressed an interest in other cultures. “I like to learn about different cultures,” Guilerez said. “You learn to become more aware that there are more cultures other than being Latino.”

Many different cultures were represented in the evening’s finale, a fashion show, which featured student models who showed off the different styles of their countries. There were students from many countries, including Pakistan, who sashayed across the stage to music. Mohamed encouraged the children to dance.

Heepa Shamin, a sixth-grade student, was a participant in the show. “I am excited especially about the dancing,” she said. “I like to learn about different people.”

Mohamed noted that the event was not only a learning experience, but a celebration. “This night is an opportunity for people in the community to get together and learn about each other’s culture,” he said. “Howell has people from about 40 to 50 countries. We can create an understanding of those cultures.”

Specifically, Mohamed hopes the night will connect people back with their own heritage. “When you are in the U.S., you lose a big part of your culture over time,” Mohamed said. “I hope this event reinforces their culture and makes them proud of it.”