The Locust Valley Central School District celebrated its first International Night on March 7. Dozens of students, parents and faculty received passports when they arrived at the high school cafeteria and got stamps each time they visited one of the 34 countries’ tables or visual presentations.
Community members of different backgrounds brought in food, games, clothing and more from their cultures. Guests sampled foods such as causa from Peru, grasshoppers and taquitos from Mexico and soda bread from Ireland. Guests also took part in activities like Italy’s scopa card game, Japan’s origami and cup-and-ball game kendama and Mexico’s bingo-like Lotería before also opening a piñata.
The night concluded with a series of performances. Members of the Locust Valley High School Italian Club danced the Tarantella with their parents and friends and the Dominican Dance Group came from the Bronx for a performance. Finally, LVHS student and chamber singer Axcl Lopez-Grant sang a Mexican folk song “Mi Sueño.”
Locust Valley Middle School and High School’s world language departments will next celebrate different cultures at Bilingual Night on March 28.