Learning about diversity

On Friday April 9, nearly 500 people came to Pleasant Hill School in Palatine to celebrate the community's diversity at the Parent Teacher Association-sponsored biennial Multicultural Fest.

Students and volunteers put together presentations, displays, games and food samples from 12 different countries including China, Las Americas, Greece, New Zealand, India, Poland, Italy, Scandinavia, Japan, Turkey, Korea and the United States of America, to promote the understanding of other countries and cultures. The fest also featured raffle prizes donated by local businesses.

Presentations ranged from sushi-making and a show of martial arts to traditional dances from various countries and storytelling from around the globe. As part of the United States experience, Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz and District 2 Councilman Scott Lamer and hosted a history trivia game for all ages called American Contender.

All attendees came away with a better understanding of the elements that make up American culture.

As fifth grader Laura Wurtz explained to the crowd during the presentation about the United States, "Our country has been called 'The Melting Pot' because we are made up of families that came from almost every country in the world. That's what makes American culture so great. We have taken traditions from around the world and made them our own!"