Hastings Students, Familes Celebrate Culture

Around the world in 80 minutes?

It was possible Thursday night (with 10 minutes to spare) at , which held its biannual Multi-Cultural Fair celebrating and showcasing the cultural heritage of its students and their families. The event was held from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Upon entering the school, travelers were given passports which they could have stamped when visiting each of six passport stations: India, The Americas, Africa, China, Europe, and Asia.

The event also included dance performances from around the world, including Chinese and Indian dances, as well as an interactive drum circle using African hand instruments, and food samples from around the globe.

The fair, which was well-attended, takes a lot of planning, according to Betsy Krentzman, a secretary at the school.

“We have many cultures at this school,” she said, adding that the event provides a great opportunity for the students to learn about each other and each other’s cultures.

It also takes lots of volunteers, said Liana Desio, a parent member of the Hastings School Council who, according to , spearheaded the fair. The program was sponsored, in part, through a grant from the Westborough Cultural Council, Desio said. The grant helped bring Otha Day from Drum to the Beat for the community drum and rhythm circle.

“Everyone in the community just gets together,” Becker said, explaining that parents volunteered to bring food and run craft activities while children were encouraged to create posters which celebrate their culture.

English is a second language for more than 30 percent of the school’s 400-plus students, according to Becker.

“We have such a wonderful diversity here in Westborough,” she said, adding that the fair, which has been a Hastings tradition for a number of years, gives students and families an “opportunity to show off their cultural heritage.”

Andrea Weber, a reading specialist at Hastings, directed the Rainbow Singers, which was one of the performing groups. The 65 children, who are in kindergarten through third grade, gave up some of their recess time to practice singing the five songs they performed Thursday, she said.

“They’re just magnificent kids,” Weber said.

“This is a very good event,” said Chihcheng Chen, principal of the Central Massachusetts Chinese Language School, which rents space at Hastings on Sundays. “You can see the variety.”

Chen brought several items to display at the China station, including Chinese yo-yos and lion head masks. Students from the Chinese Language School also performed a Chinese yo-yo demonstration as well as a Chinese folk dance.

“We always support Hastings’ Cultural Fair,” he said.

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