Photos: Around the world in Lynnwood Elementary
GUILDERLAND — Delicacies from across the globe, including from Colombia and Taiwan. Colorful ethnic costumes. Dances from Ireland, India, and the Philippines.
More than 200 people turned out for the first-ever International Night at Lynnwood Elementary School, hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Association. It was all free of charge.
Children received a “passport” when they signed in, and they were encouraged to go to all the different tables in the gym, look at the informational displays, and find the answers to one question about each country to get a stamp for “visiting” that country. When they filled up their passports, the students received a stress ball printed with a map of the world.
“I am a firm believer in having children embrace diversity as young as possible,” organizer Fazana Saleem-Ismail, who has a son at Lynnwood and a daughter at Emma Willard, told The Enterprise. “I know the high school has an international fair, but it was really important to have one at the elementary level.”
Last year, she said, the PTA was looking for new activities and she suggested an international event.
“Given the current climate,” she said, “I thought it really important to do an event that celebrated diversity and brought people together. I wanted Lynnwood students whose families came from other countries to be proud of their culture and heritage and for others to appreciate the diversity of our student body and all it had to offer.”
Eleven countries were represented, including Saleem-Ismail’s native Sri Lanka, with displays of information about each country, with dishes to sample, and with traditional children’s games and other activities to try.
Six different groups of young performers wowed the crowd. A young woman in a flowing white Chinese costume wrote children’s names out for them in Chinese with a calligraphy pen and then gave them a small crimson envelope with a chocolate coin tucked inside, like they might receive at the New Year.
At one point during the event, Saleem-Ismail began tearing up, she said, to see how much love and effort the families representing their countries put into their tables and displays.
“I tried my best to include all the countries represented at Lynnwood, but not everyone was able to participate,” she said. “I’m really hoping that next year, we can have 15 to 20 countries, God willing!”
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Wearing dresses that layer sheer white over bright blue, two young women strike a pose at the end of a traditional South Korean dance.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Ruby Yuan, right, prepares to write in Chinese calligraphy the names of students taking part in the first-ever International Night at Lynnwood Elementary School on April 12.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
A small child wearing Taiwanese clothing finds a private spot beneath an informational display from which to watch the performances.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Young girls, the ends of their fingers painted red, hold a still and meditative pose at the start of an Indian dance.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Chloe Park, 18 months, whose family is from South Korea, takes in the sights and sounds of International Night at Lynnwood Elementary School.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Ruby Yuan, whose heritage is Chinese, uses a calligraphy pen to write phonetically the names of Flora and Leonardo Wu, who attend Westmere Elementary School and came to the Lynnwood school event in traditional Taiwanese costumes.
The Enterprise — Elizabeth Floyd Mair
Leah Michaelides, left, and Sharanya Iyer were dressed in identical colorful Indian dresses as they prepared for their dance performance.