The leadership coming from the highest office in our country is trying to strip our country of the diversity that made it great. This school year, we went through a transition to switch our focus. This year, we have different cultures represented in our school. We have students representing different countries, and we must celebrate those countries and diversity. That is where we birthed the campaign “Summit For the Culture.” Summit For The Culture is our cultural diversity campaign where we will celebrate all the cultures in our building.
As a school community, we want to show our diverse community. We want to authentically celebrate the diversity and everything that comes along with it. We know the importance of celebrating different cultures in the classroom and throughout our school. Students need to be culturally aware. We want to provide learning opportunities for our students to learn about the cultures represented in our building. We want them to be mindful of the differences in languages, religion, and holidays that may differ from the ones they speak, participate in or even celebrate. We want to promote a school community of inclusion, not separation.
Summit for The Culture will teach our students to appreciate cultural differences. We have to build awareness and help them develop an appreciation. Awareness is just a small piece of creating a culture of inclusion. Summit For the Culture will help students learn about the uniqueness of the cultures of their classmates and some fantastic parts of different cultures. Through appreciation comes the respect and understanding that being different is alright. The appreciation will also help with the stereotypes that can be perceived and promoted by the outside world about cultures that are different. When we celebrate different cultures, we start a conversation about the differences we share and provide a better understanding. We want our students not to see cultures different than theirs as something wrong; we want them to see other cultures as a way to grow and learn together.
This year, as we celebrate the diversities of cultures in our building, we want to do it in a fun and engaging way. In September, we will host our first Summit For the Culture Night. During this evening, we will kick off our celebration with information about the different cultures in our building, along with some games from each of the cultures for students and families to participate. During the winter season, we will host Art Around the World, where we will decorate our entire school with art pieces from different areas around the world created by the students in our classroom.
This year for our book fair, we are going to highlight books that come from different cultures. I know that reading books where different cultures are celebrated is an excellent way for students to learn about the diversity represented in their school. When students read these books, it allows for these cultures to come alive. The books can also provide a visual representation of the culture’s different cultures.
As a school, it is essential for us to express and show our interest in our students’ culture. We plan to provide a survey to all students for their families to fill out, so we can ensure we capture all the diverse cultures represented. We know it is essential to our overall success as a school that we know, understand, appreciate, and celebrate all the cultures in our school community. We know those relationships will be a lasting effect on everyone in our school.