International Day In Warren Township Schools

Press release from Warren Township Schools:

June 1, 2022

International Day in Warren Township Schools is a highly anticipated school event. Volunteers spend days, weeks, and even months of their time designing a one-day program that will likely leave a lasting impact on the students for years to come.

Due to the previous COVID restrictions, International Day had been paused for the last two years. Fortunately, the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) from each school made up for the lost time by giving the children of Warren Township a peek into the culture, geography, language, wildlife, people, music, entertainment, food, and more, from many different countries.

On February 23, Angelo L. Tomaso (ALT) students were transported to the beautiful country of Brazil. The PTO transformed the All-Purpose room into a lush paradise that included a rainforest, an 8ft replica of the Iguazu Waterfall, and a 17ft replica of a kapok tree. Students were introduced to Brazilian music, indigenous species of plants and animals, the popular sport of soccer, dance, culture, and other tourist landmarks.

Before the day was over, the students danced to festive Brazilian music and observed a Samba performance and a dance lesson from the Washington Rock Dance Studio.

On March 25, the Central School students were led into an International Day which boasted highlights from Brazil, Greece, and India.

A large image of the Parthenon hung in the gymnasium, and volunteers dressed in greek robes and performed scenes from popular Greek mythology tales. The library was draped in colorful tapestry and bright flowers to represent India. The last stop of the day was to a classroom that had been overtaken by a rainforest. PTO members dressed as safari guides and took the children on an interactive tour of the indigenous animals of the rainforest.

As a culminating activity, the entire school participated in a Central School “Greek Olympics.” The students competed in activities such as the long jump, javelin, and relay races.

On April 7, Mt. Horeb School was temporarily replaced by an International Airport fully equipped with gate signs, TSA Pre-Check, a Lunch Lounge, and music! The airport provided the students with quick access to the 8 countries on display. The students received a stamp in their passport book after they visited Germany, Spain, Israel, France, Zimbabwe, India, and Portugal.

While visiting Israel, students learned how to dance the Hora, which is a traditional dance performed at Jewish weddings.

Woodland School held its international day on Friday, May 20. To begin the day, the children lined the hallways as a piper weaved his way through, playing traditional bagpipe sounds for all to hear.

Following the performance, the children were led into different rooms which had been decorated accordingly based on the country. Students had the opportunity to learn about Greece, India, Portugal, Peru, and Mexico. As a bonus, many Woodland students and staff dressed in clothing representing a variety of cultures.

International Day is an opportunity for the students, staff, and volunteers to celebrate the beauty of diversity within the Warren community and beyond. The volunteers from each of the four elementary schools were instrumental in providing the students with an understanding and appreciation of cultures throughout the world.

This press release was produced by Warren Township Schools. The views expressed here are the author's own.