BHUSD Superintendent Michael Bregy took part in the Multicultural Week festivities at Horace Mann School. (photo courtesy of BHUSD)

Horace Mann School’s annual Multicultural Week, a PTA-funded and organized event, united families from Oct. 14-18 to showcase the elementary school’s incredible diversity by immersing students in a unique week-long celebration of world cultures.

Kicking off Oct. 11 with a colorful Parade of Nations, the event’s opening ceremony hosted hundreds of children and parents who marched around the Purple Field to “We are the World” waving their own handmade flags representing more than 50 countries.

Throughout the entire week students, parents and staff had an opportunity to share their heritage in an open and inclusive experience. With the support of more than 250 parent volunteers, each day a different region was represented by lively authentic music, dance performances, delicious traditional food and engaging activities.

From Europe (Monday), Oceania & Africa (Tuesday), Asia (Wednesday), Middle East (Thursday) and Americas (Friday), students were greeted every morning by different regional groups dressed in traditional clothing to taste new flavors, listen to music, make crafts and play cultural games.

Children were serenaded by a Scottish bagpiper and Mexican mariachi band, experienced a Viking reenactment, walked through a 15-foot-tall Japanese Torii and much more.

The school’s library was completely transformed into the first-ever Cultural Museum, with interactive displays full of treasures from 50 countries shared by Horace Mann families to educate students with facts, history, books, crafts, artifacts, cultural objects and personal stories told by a team of parent docents. Highlights of the museum included a 1924 English soccer ball and cleats, Spartan iron helmet and hand-carved African wooden animals. Students received individual passports and would get country stamps by visiting the Cultural Museum with their classes and participating in activities throughout the week.

“The authentic nature in which our school’s 50 countries were represented was extraordinary … In sharing where we come from, we united students, parents and staff members with each other, giving our entire Horace Mann community the opportunity to really connect in a fantastic week that we can all be proud of,” said Jenn Pedersen, Horace Mann Multicultural Week chair.

“Our annual Multicultural Week promotes cultural recognition and respect that brought our students and families closer together, and built bonds between the students as they learned about each other’s different customs … I am so proud and honored to be the principal of our magnificent school,” Horace Mann Principal Craig Bugbee said.

Horace Mann School is located at 8701 Charleville Blvd. For information, visit bhusd.org.