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MCS celebrates ‘the best’ Cultural Diversity Day
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- K-5 students line up as they prepare to represent Thailand. (Contributed Photo)
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- First grade students line up as they prepare to represent the USA. (Contributed Photo)
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- K-4 students make their way to the performance area to represent Jamaica. (Contributed Photo)
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- A couple of K-4 students sport their homemade costumes in honor of Jamaica. (Contributed Photo)
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- Third grade students make their way to the performance area to represent France. (Contributed Photo)
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- Third grade students represent France during their performance. (Contributed Photo)
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- Fifth grade students prepare to present a traditional German dance. (Contributed Photo)
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- Fifth grade students line up on their way to represent Germany. (Contributed Photo)
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- Sixth grade student Keehara Baldazo prepare to present a dance representing the different cultures of the Federated States of Micronesia. (Contributed Photo)
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- Sixth grade girls are all smiles after their dance representing the cultures of the Federated States of Micronesia. (Contributed Photo)
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- Seventh grade students pose after their Bollywood dance representing India. (Contributed Photo)
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- Eigth grade students preset their banner representing Japan. (Contributed Photo)
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- Freshmen present their banners representing Russia. (Contributed Photo)
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- Sophomores present a banner representing Mexico. (Contributed Photo)
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- Sophomore boys sport their costumes and guitars as they prepare to represent Mexico. (Contributed Photo)
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- Junior boys proudly present the CNMI flag as they prepare to represent the Commonwealth. (Contributed Photo)
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- Junior girls pose for the camera right before their Chamorro dance representing the CNMI. (Contributed Photo)
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- Junior boys line up as they prepare to present a Carolinian dance representing the CNMI. (Contributed Photo)
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- Seniors present their banner as they make their way to the performance area to represent South Korea. (Contributed Photo)
Despite fears about rain and a few sprinkles, the sun came out in full force last Friday just in time for Mount Carmel School’s annual celebration of Cultural Diversity Day. As part of the festivities, MCS students celebrated over a dozen cultures with a parade, cultural dances, and performances. The celebration featured the following grade levels showcasing their respective cultural traditions: K-4: Jamaica, K-5: Thailand, 1st: USA, 2nd: China, 3rd: France, 4th: Philippines, 5th: Germany, 6th: FSM, 7th: India, 8th: Japan, 9th: Russia, 10th: Mexico, 11th: CNMI, and 12th: Korea.
“This is probably the best cultural day celebration we’ve ever had,” said school president Galvin Deleon Guerrero. “The kids were full of energy and their performances were wonderful!”
Deleon Guerrero also recognized the value of the school’s diversity. “As one of our longest standing traditions, long before the CNMI declared its own Cultural Diversity Day, it’s heartwarming to see our students, faculty, and staff appreciate our cultural diversity so much. After all, we are a very culturally diverse school, so it’s important that we value and validate who we are on a day like this.”
Student Council president Zeno Deleon Guerrero agreed. “I was very happy that all our students put in more effort into this celebration than in previous years. …We also had a great mix of performances, including dances, songs, and even skits.”
The performances were also part of a contest to see which class could best represent their assigned cultural tradition. In this contest, the second grade took first place in the A division, the fifth grade took first place in the B division, and the juniors took first place in the C division.
The student council also sponsored poster, poetry, and essay contests for cultural diversity. K-5 took first place in the poster contest, which asked K through 6th grade students to draw the cultural face of the CNMI. Seventh grade student Robin Alvarez took first place in the poetry contest, which invited junior high students to write poems about the cultural face of the CNMI. Senior Michael Ortizo took first place in the essay contest, which asked high school students to explain how cultural diversity has had a positive impact on the NMI.
In his winning essay, Ortizo reflected on how Typhoon Soudelor brought the island’s diverse community together. “I did not see individuals helping themselves, but rather, I saw a community of various cultural identities rebuilding together.” (MCS)
