I ran into a woman named Nikki Grenillo the other night at the VFW fish fry, and we got to talking about an event she was doing at Workman Elementary School in Canton. This event is called Celebration of Diversity, and it sounded like a wonderful night celebrating all of the different cultures that make up the melting pot that is America.
The Celebration of Diversity was held on Friday at Workman Elementary, and I decided to go out and have a look-see.
This has been a very popular event in the past, and the last one drew roughly 750 attendees. Nikki was hopeful that after a one year hiatus, this year's program would be just as popular. She really wanted folks to come out and see the students at Workman Elementary show off the many cultures of the students that attend this school. She got her wish, as it was a standing room only crowd, and everyone really seemed to enjoy the performances by these great kids.
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Nikki indicated to me that Workman Elementary is made up of a very diverse student body, and that Workman Elementary Principal, Jim Burt once told her that “Our students don't care what you look like, they care about what kind of person you are.” That message resonated with Ms. Grenillo, and she decided to volunteer for this huge event.
The 2 hour event was divided into two one hour segments. The first segment consisted of performances by the students, and they ranged from a Chinese New Year song, to Indian and Irish folk dances, to a tribute to Nelson Mandela, and more.
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The second hour consisted of experiences in ten different rooms, representing 10 different countries. There were projects, displays, and yes, traditional food from eight of the ten different countries.
This event came off flawlessly, and Nikki received help from many Workman families, the PCEP Diversity Council, and the PCEP Asian Pacific American Club.
Make no mistake, this event was all about the kids, and when you see Mr. Burt's words shine through in these kids, it sure does make you feel great. Their performances were just fantastic, and you could tell that these kids had a great time doing them.
I'd like to thank Nikki for inviting me to this great event, and the folks at Workman Elementary School, for making me, and everyone else feel so welcome...
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