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CultureFest at Carrboro High School: Strengthening Family and Community Engagement
CultureFest, a favorite tradition at Carrboro High School (CHS), is a community celebration, hosted by the school’s Academy of International Studies (AIS), the Newcomers program and the PTSA and held in the late fall. November 17 marked the first in-person CultureFest in three years, and the food, entertainment and camaraderie were well worth waiting for! In keeping with the Strategic Plan Key Priority of Strengthening Family and Community Engagement, the school’s cafe commons was filled with students, their extended families, staff and community guests.
CultureFest’s goal is to assemble and celebrate the wonderfully diverse CHS community by showcasing food and performances from other countries, cultures and regions of the world. “We were particularly excited about the event this year, as this is the first time CHS has had an in-person CultureFest since Covid hit,” Multilingual Learner Teacher, Angela McChesney, said. “As you might imagine, we were not quite sure what to expect, after so much time. In addition, this was the first year Social Studies Teacher, Jerrod McConnell, took over the execution of the CultureFest, and he did so with aplomb!”
The event officially began at 6 p.m., but as soon as the last bell rang for the day, the lobby and commons became a hive of activity as student and staff organizers put finishing touches on the tables, and small groups of performers practiced their routines. Students from CTE Teacher, Beth Landis’ ADOBE Design class, set up a station and sold whimsical greeting cards they had made for the occasion.
The main food table, filled with contributions, stretched from one end of the commons to the other. And what food it was! From the supersized pans of tabouli and hummus to the trays of sushi and plates of cannolis and aeblekage (Danish apple cake), the selection of dishes was faithful to the mission of the CultureFest, representing family traditions from around the world.
Once attendees were settled in their seats (with overflowing plates), the performances began, and as McChesney said, “They were spectacular – magnificent!” The first group, the multigenerational Danza Azteca Tonantzin, provided an eye-popping opener, with authentic Aztec costumes that included enormous feather headdresses, loud ankle bangles and colorful spangles that became bright flashes across the stage, once the dancing began. CHS student and CultureFest co-organizer, Karen Chavez, recruited family and friends to perform in the troupe. “They put on a performance that many will remember for the rest of their lives,” McChesney said. “Karen is an incredibly talented young woman who is as modest as she is talented!”
After the troupe performed several dances and then bowed to ecstatic applause, the audience heard an unadvertised guest performer, CHS English Teacher, Sibel Byrnes, sing a beautiful and moving love song from her native Turkey, and the crowd rose to their feet to celebrate this teacher’s talent.
The other large-scale performance of the night was provided by Azerbaijani Dance, a group organized by Study Hall Coordinator, Bahram Yousefi, who encouraged his wife and her fellow dancers to bring their gifts to CultureFest. “My Syrian student was so tickled to see a performance that reminded her of a style of dancing in Syria,” McChesney said.
The CultureFest planning committee included McChesney, McConnell, Math Teacher, Mary Ollila, Performing Arts Teacher, Brett Stegall and student Karen Chavez. They began meeting on a regular basis early in the fall to brainstorm ideas and discuss how to enlist maximum involvement from students, families and staff members. “Each of us took on different roles, depending on our strengths and community members we know. We emailed, texted and called parents. We sent out ‘robocalls,’ and perhaps most fun, Mary Ollila and I passed out flyers to parents in the pick up/drop off line. I don’t think parents knew what hit them,” McChesney said. “I think we worked together wonderfully, with each of us relying on our strengths to bring it all together as one team, the CHS WAY!”
Stegall handled the technical aspects of planning, as well as providing the expertise and calm experience of a seasoned theater director. Ceramics Teacher, Rita Schiavone, produced the pottery used as centerpieces on the tables, and then they were auctioned off as a fundraiser at the event.
McChesney said she and the committee members are very grateful for the trust and support received from the CHS administrative team – Beverly Rudolph, Diego Mureno and Ileana Herrera.
Experiencing the joy of CultureFest returning to CHS, as well as all the other now in-person events around the district, it’s powerful to witness how much these events mean to students, staff and our community and we look forward to more celebrations . . . together!
CHCCS District Headlines stories are written on a regular basis by the CHCCS Division of Communications, with assistance from a network of school-based “storytellers” who share tips and ideas throughout the school year. The goal is to share real-world examples of the CHCCS Strategic Plan in action. Know about a story worth telling from your school? Contact the CHCCS Communications team at communications@chccs.k12.nc.us