On April 18, 2024, the Santee School District held its first-ever Multicultural Festival. Students took attendees on a trip around the world, showcasing what they have learned about different cultures throughout the year.
“We have a wonderfully diverse student and family population in our district, and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels celebrated,” said Superintendent, Dr. Kristin Baranski. “This event was a fun way for our students to not only learn about other cultures, but to share with their peers what is special to them about their own culture.”
This event was hosted for free by the district’s Expanded Learning Programs (ELP) department and the Santee Collaborative. Through ELP’s Global Spotlight program, before and after school students explore a different culture each month through music and dance, food, literature, and traditional activities. Each school’s ELP students had a booth showcasing one culture they learned about this year. The ELP student booths celebrated the following cultures:
- Cajon Park: Middle Eastern Heritage
- Carlton Hills: Black History
- Carlton Oaks: Australian Heritage
- Chet F. Harritt: Indian Heritage
- Hill Creek: Hispanic Heritage
- Pepper Drive: Native American Heritage
- PRIDE Academy: European/Italian Heritage
- Rio Seco: Pacific Islander Heritage
- Sycamore Canyon: Asian Heritage
Student performances stole the show at the event, featuring performances from Chet F. Harritt Bollywood dancers, African Drum and Dance with students from Carlton Hills and Chet F. Harritt, Rio Seco Middle Eastern dancers, Ballet Folklorico dancers from PRIDE, and the OPUS student orchestra from PRIDE.
“I am proud of the community partnerships we have created through Expanded Learning Programs to be able to offer extracurricular activities that allow students to learn about and explore other cultures,” said Chrishaun Green, Director of Expanded Learning Programs. “This festival was an amazing display of the fun our students had this year through the Global Spotlight Program, and I look forward to expanding this program next year.”
To see pictures and videos of performance, click here.