Liberty Middle School Gets Some Culture

For at least one night, Liberty Middle School had the whole world in its gym.

Liberty Middle School hosted its first Cultural Expo last week. The Expo featured multicultural song and dance performances, displays from different countries as well as various types of food for the guests. 

Approximately 150 students and staff prepared and 300 people attended the evening event on May 29.

The Expo featured stations, a culmination of five months of work, by Liberty’s student body and staff representing over 30 different countries.  Each station included various craft projects, unique information highlighting that stations particular culture, games and giveaways.  Students were dressed in traditional garb welcoming guests to experience “life” at their particular station.  Principal Robert Klemt wore traditional German lederhosen for the event.

"I was so proud to see our students pursue an afterschool event with such energy and passion,"  Klemt said. "Their pride in their culture and heritages was clearly evident, and it was great to see students truly broadening their horizons."

Several different classes performed on an open stage area during the Expo: the Italian class did a rendition of “Tu vo fa l’Americano , the French class performed “La chanson de la Francophonie”  and the Chinese class sang and danced to “Lion Dances and Parade.”  The was also a Cultural Explosion, featuring Mount Pleasant School Library Media Specialist Jenna Bleeke, who also attended and delighted the crowd with a Latin American Dance.  There were several other multicultural performances by individual students, performers and staff:  “Palo Pa Rumba,” a Bollywood dance, Irish sing along and jigs as well as a culminating performance by music teachers Jay Gitter and Dave Rimelis, who performed Andrea Bocelli’s “Time To Say Goodbye.” 

Cooking lessons incorporating Spanish, Italian, and French fare were available to guests featuring:  arroz con pollo made by Assistant Principal Aixa Abreu’s mother, Rosa Garcia, pizzelle made by Italian teacher Rosanna Zamloot, and cream puffs made by science teacher Val Gino.

Guests were also shown demonstrations in Zumba with Rachel Scott, Tai Chi with Yajiing Li, and Taekwondo with Master Cho’s Talium.  For younger guests and those appreciating literature from around the globe, there was a “Fairytales Around the World” reading Party, presented by staff members Maryann Solimo and Lisa Touzeau, was available in the Library Media Center.

"It shows that when you have such a large group of students and faculty working together, you can truly do something terrific," co-organizer and social studies teacher Chris Todd said. "I think everyone attending took something away from this event, and it was a real effective learning experience for all ages."

A multicultural dinner featuring Italian, French, Chinese and Spanish dishes were served by Sodexo.  Liberty teachers Todd, Sue Zaccaro and Vince DeJesus coordinated the event.

"We had such an amazing outpouring of support from the faculty, students, and community and that really fueled the success of this event," Zaccaro said. "We are hoping to make it even bigger and better next year."