Sachem’s Samoset Middle School Cultural Awareness Week
 
To educate students and staff about cultures around the globe, Samoset Middle School hosted its National Cultural Awareness Week from November 10-14. The week was coordinated by Dr. Thomas Burger, Mrs. Lisa Carlen, Mrs. Cathy Morgillo and Mrs. Melissa Capuano and was filled with exciting and stimulating activities and performances. 
 
The week began with morning announcements that highlighted the goals of the week, and cultural music played during lunch periods on Monday. Ms. Lindsay Kunda coordinated the creation of a cultural mosaic quilt of flags from around the world by sixth graders. The quilt is now hanging in the gymnasium.
 
On Wednesday, Samoset held two morning assemblies concurrently that involved the entire school. Throughout the remainder of the day, students put on cultural performances in the gymnasium, including select members of the eighth-grade orchestra playing the French song “Rondeau” by Jean Joseph Moreret; karate demonstrations performed by Shayla Montalvo and Samantha Pednauldt; Deborah Santiago sang ” Once upon a December,” a Spanish lullaby; Ms. Christina Schaeffer’s sixth-grade music class performed a Native American drum ensemble; Sunja Joseph sang ” Ayiti Cherie,” a Creole song from her native land of Haiti; Irish step dances were performed by Taylor Beaury, Tabytha Cooke and Ariana Franz, which included the reel, hard shoe and slip jig dance styles; Samoset’s select choir sang “Heal Us Now” a Hebrew song; and Laura Laureano concluded the assembly by singing the “National Anthem”.
 
While half the students in the gymnasium enjoyed the performances, the remaining students were in the auditorium viewing A Place at the Table, a video from the Teaching Tolerance Center.  The video was narrated by eight young people whose families have experienced bias situations.  The plight of various oppressed people throughout history were also presented and discussed in this video. 
 
Following these presentations, teachers held discussions with students about the day’s events.  The English and history classes conducted mini-workshops throughout the day addressing intolerance and bias behavior, reflecting upon lesson plans from the Teaching Tolerance Center.   
 
On Thursday, the cafeteria was transformed into the United Nations with over 36 flags from various countries displayed on the tables. Students participated in national “Mix It up at Lunch Day” where they were provided with a random flag postcard and had to find the matching table and sit there for the period.  The goal of this activity was to have the students meet new classmates and discuss the week’s activities. 
 
The week concluded on Friday with students and staff wearing clothing from their cultural/ethnic background. Students and staff were invited to sign Samoset Middle School’s declaration against bias behavior during lunch periods. Over the next few weeks, students will continue to work on cultural awareness lessons and discuss the issues of intolerance. 
 
Photo: Students Taylor Beaury, Ariana Franz and Tabytha Cooke perform Irish step dances during Samoset’s National Cultural Awareness Week.