Multicultural Day offers students an opportunity to explore a country and learn about its traditions, foods, and holidays. Each class transforms their space into a snapshot of the country they selected, showcasing what they’ve learned. Students put together slideshows, make decorations, and create activities to make for an engaging presentation.
A morning assembly filled with performances from different cultures kicked off Multicultural Day.
English Language Teacher Balvir Kaur, who helps organize Multicultural Day every year, said she feels it’s an event that teaches students about more than just another country’s traditions. The event reflects the school’s commitment to moral character, a key part of the Moral Focus™ program.
“I think Multicultural Day builds empathy and helps students feel valued for their individual identities, which helps build confidence and self-esteem,” Kaur said. “We have so many different cultures at our school that showcasing them during Multicultural Day brings awareness to students who may feel hesitant to share their cultures with others.”
Each classroom does deep research and then presents their findings through different presentations, decorations, and activities.
Multicultural Day gives students a chance to share some of their own heritage at a schoolwide assembly. This year, students performed for their peers featuring: an Indian song in three different languages, a presentation on the piñata, a poem from Spanish class students, which was translated to English by kindergarteners, and a Bhangra dance from India. Teachers also got in on the fun with staff teaching the Tarantella dance from Italy.
This feeling of connection extends beyond students and staff. Parents are eager to volunteer every year and showcase their own culture, often teaching dances, reading stories, showing off artifacts, and presenting more information about their family’s home country.
Kaur said inviting parents to participate and deepening connections between the school and families is an important part of the experience.
Parents and staff members also look forward to the day each year, where they show off their own culture.
“It is helpful to involve parent volunteers because they can provide firsthand insight into their cultures and traditions,” Kaur said. “This makes the parents feel a sense of belonging and empowers them to be more involved in their students' education.”
The school earned a Michigan Blue Ribbon honor, and this sense of community is one of the many reasons why Plymouth Scholars stands out among Michigan schools.
Students leave the experience enriched with a wider view of the world. Kaur said Multicultural Day builds relationships between students and shows them that while they come from different backgrounds, they share so many similarities.
Two students performed a dance from their heritage at the morning assembly on Multicultural Day.
Multicultural Day is a highlight on the school calendar. Kaur said she has an enormous amount of pride in helping organize the day.
“It’s a day when we celebrate and embrace the many cultures that make our school community such a special place,” Kaur said. “Seeing the hard work that classes put into decorating and showcasing their cultures is incredibly rewarding and inspiring for everyone involved. It is wonderful to see students engaged, learning from one another, and taking pride in who they are.”
This was a great event! Keep up the great work, Mrs. Kaur and Plymouth Scholars!
About Plymouth Scholars
Plymouth Scholars is a tuition-free, public charter school in Plymouth, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s 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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