Parent volunteers were recruited to make their culture’s best dish so families could sample food from around the world. Local restaurants also joined in on the fun, providing another connection point to the community. Two hits this year were Nigerian food and Polish food.
Students were also invited to make projects or decorations to reflect their culture, which were on display around the school. These projects allowed students to express themselves and what they love about their culture. English Language Teacher Shannon Davis helped organize the event, and she said the event is a culmination of so many cultures, serving as a celebration of students, families, and their heritage.
“It’s always a big hit, and everyone leaves with a smile,” Davis said. “It’s so important for students to learn about other cultures. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel the world, so for a lot of these students, it’s their first time being exposed to other cultures.”
One piece of Indian culture was popular among students: henna. Students were amazed at the traditional Indian temporary tattoo, and they flocked to the station, led by Fourth-grade Teacher Pallavi Sharma, who was proud to share her own culture.
Davis said the staff engagement with families made the night special and helped build positive parent partnerships.
“A lot of our staff chose to stay after school because the students were so excited about it,” Davis said. “It was really fun to watch them come and mingle with families. The kids love it when their teachers are at events like this. They were beaming. It’s funny how it seems like just a small action to show up to the school gym, but everyone looks forward to it.”
Families stayed engaged throughout the night thanks to a variety of cultural music and a passport, where participants earned stamps at each station around the school’s gym. Teachers, students, and parents were all eager to fill in their passports and show their completed sheets.
Davis said she’s excited to help bring the event to life each year and looks forward to bringing in more cultures and families for next year’s Culture Night. She added that it warms her heart to see students try new things and experience different cultures.
“I would really encourage other schools to do something similar if they don’t already,” Davis said. “My favorite part is seeing the pride students and families have when teaching classmates about their culture. It's great to see an atmosphere where everyone is just so happy to share their culture and have their peers experience it and try other things.”
About Grand River Academy
Grand River Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Livonia, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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