On Friday, March 28, the Bowie hallways were a splash of bright colors and exotic sounds as different flags were displayed and cultural music played. Culture Fest took place during both first and second lunch, allowing students to explore some of the cultures and ethnicities that make up the Bowie community.
Bowie’s Student Equity Council initiated the event intending to allow the clubs and organizations of Bowie to share their cultures and enlighten others about them. According to one of the faculty advisors on the council, Alexandria Frossard, they planned to set up tables around the courtyard that each club or family could decorate with anything related to the culture they’re sharing, however, they ended up moving indoors due to the light rain.
“This is a free, school-wide event that allows for students and staff to share and celebrate their different cultures, communities, and identities with each other,” Frossard said. “We had about 10 clubs participate. It was a small but mighty group this year and we look forward to the growth potential that this program has in future years.”
Many of the clubs and organizations at Bowie had meetings and FIT sessions with their members to brainstorm ideas on how to capture the meaning of their club in a singular booth. One of these organizations was the French Club, which focuses on the richness of the French language and culture by listening to French music, watching movies in French, and immersing themselves in the language.
“For our booth, we focused on blue, white, and red decorations including garlands, flowers, and mini Eiffel towers, as well as having a coin toss and a bocci ball game for candy and prizes,” French teacher and French Club sponsor Sigrid Scherber said. “As the sponsor, I am here to support them with any project, provide some materials, and definitely offer my encouragement to the club and its members whenever needed.”
While the French Club planned to capture the beauty of Paris, the Spanish Honor Society aimed to transport students to the heart of Latin American celebrations. According to Co-President of the Spanish Honor Society, Larkin Bock, Culture Fest was an opportunity to show others the beauty of Spanish Culture and promote the club to people who would like to learn more about it.
“Bowie students get to see all the different opportunities to get involved in a club or organization,” Bock said. “Culture Fest allows us as a club to represent what we stand for which is volunteering and spreading Latin American heritage.”
Culture Fest gives the students of Bowie a chance to explore and celebrate cultures they don’t know much about. It also provides an opportunity to experience a unique and safe space at Bowie that shows off the wide variety of cultures in the community.
“At a time when diversity, equality, and inclusion are being challenged, especially in school settings, the Student Equity Council felt that this was a much-needed event,” Frossard said. “People are often scared of cultures and communities that they aren’t a part of because they don’t understand. Seeing these displayed in a safe place allows for introductions to cultures and conversations that may not happen otherwise.”
