Kerhonkson school celebrates diversity

By KYLE WIND
Freeman staff
Reprinted courtesy of the Daily Freeman

KERHONKSON — Kerhonkson Elementary School put its diversity in the spotlight on Thursday with its annual Celebration of Cultures, which is designed to allow students to share their cultures — and foods — with other students and their work with parents.

The event, in its 17th year, featured a dozen English language learners, and a total of about 35 students participated.

The homelands of children that were featured this year included China, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Mexico, Columbia, Russia, Ecuador the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, said Lorraine Farina, who teaches English as a Second Language.

Farina described the Kerhonkson Elementary School as diverse for a small, rural school, and 14-year Principal Alan Baker said 18 to 25 students among the school’s approximately 300 can be part of the event in a given year.

Baker said pockets of Ukrainians live off of state Route 44/55, and he noted the area’s farms attract a number of migrant workers.

Farina described the yearly event as a chance for students to teach others about their cultures, and each one invites a schoolmate.

“They can share a piece of themselves that is normally hidden away,” Farina said of her English language learners.

Baker, noting some of the children’s parents do not speak English, described the event as a way to get parents involved with the school through a small, non-intimidating event.

Pedro Belossantos, father of first-grader Lizandro, said the Celebration of Cultures is an important way to connect the community and school; and Jin Quing Yang, mother of first-grader Rachel and second-grader Queenie, said it was her third time attending the event and that she always feels welcome.

Yang moved to the United States with her parents from Fujian, China, 20 years ago and now owns Yen’s Kitchen with her husband. The six-year Kerhonkson resident said her parents moved to the United States for the same reason Belossantos did — to make a better life through the economic opportunity the country offers.

Some students’ presentations to parents in the school’s library included details about their home countries — like the national flag, flowers and animals that inhabit the country — and national holidays.

Chrystyne Tsuvanak, a seventh-grader who is of Ukrainian descent, also attended, and she said her favorite part of the event was the exchange of food.

The Yang family contributed a number of selections, including noodles, fried rice and wontons, and sweet and sour chicken.

Farina noted Tsuvanak could not speak any English when she first joined the class but now is an honors student