River Trails hosts diversity fair

River Trails Elementary District 26 hosted its first Heritage Fair last week, an event designed to foster appreciation and understanding of the different cultural groups who call the district home.

The event included ethnic and global music, food and a presentation table that allowed families to display and share items that represent their particular cultural backgrounds.

"We're really hoping this takes off and becomes an annual event," said Matt Silverman, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "The community and the staff came together to make this happen."

Like a growing number of suburban school districts, District 26 serves a culturally diverse group of students. The district has two elementary schools and a middle school, all of them in Mount Prospect.