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close‘It’s a Wonderful World’
Spinning Elementary students take the time to celebrate diversity through song, dance, poetry, story telling and languages
Chris Albert
Acceptance of other people’s uniqueness was on display as Spinning Elementary students celebrated diversity during an assembly June 6.
“Always remember that we accept people’s uniqueness,” Spinning Principal Conchita Oliver-Moore told the students. “We want you to think of each other as brothers and sisters.”
Classes from kindergarten to fifth grade performed songs, dances, poetry and stories about cultures from around the world.
The program is part of the district’s efforts to build cultural awareness among its students. The Office of Diversity Affairs supports the district in establishing a guide to provide diversity education, but the schools take on the task of how they teach it.
At Spinning, the kindergarten began the presentations with the song “We are a family.” It was an overriding theme of the diversity program, with it being about establishing a school family, said Julia Ellis, a first grade teacher at the school and coordinator for the Spinning program.
And just like a family, there will be disagreements and differences but finding ways to respect and embrace those differences leads to a thriving school community, Ellis said.
“It gives the kids a chance to express themselves and show what they have learned,” she said.
Students at the school presented songs in Japanese, poems and a reading of a Navajo healing.
The backdrop of the stage was illustrated with cut outs of boys and girls in black and white paper and the words “Celebrating Diversity” written in several languages.
The students also ran through a list of welcomes in different languages.
First grade teacher Pheng Nix was very impressed by the students’ eagerness and ability to learn different languages for their presentations.
“I think the kids did really well,” she said.
The assembly wasn’t just about stories, songs and languages either. Many were dressed in traditional clothing from countries, including clothes from India, the Philippines, the Sioux tribe and Japan.
Student Mohamed Abrahim treated his fellow students to an African song in a traditional language. The song dealt with longing for a long lost love.
“It gives kids the chance to shine,” Ellis said.
Some of whom may not shine as bright in the classroom, but radiate on the stage with an audience, she added.
The last class to present did a dance routine to Michael Jackson’s “Black or White,” reminding students cultural differences shouldn’t be a dividing factor.
To close the assembly a power point presentation was shown, with student art and photos from throughout the school year to a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/It’s a Wonderful World” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
It was tough to keep back tears, said Ellis, because of how well the students have done with embracing each other.