Students at Gotham Avenue School Celebrate Diversity at Annual Multicultural Day

Mouth watering aromas from the delicacies of many different nations filled the air at Gotham Avenue School’s auditorium during its annual  Multicultural Feast.

            The event celebrates the sites, sounds, culture and cuisines of the school’s richly diverse community where more than 70 languages are spoken representing 30 different nationalities. Fifth graders and their parents made traditional foods of their native countries for an international buffet for all to enjoy. Parents volunteered their time to come and serve up the tasty treats.

            Students discussed their own cultures within classmates and compared and contrasted the variety of traditions, foods, holidays and dress of their respective ethnic backgrounds to prepare for the day. Some students also chose a country to research on the Internet and created essays and PowerPoint presentations.

            Highlights of the celebration included student performances that featured raps, songs and dances influenced by their native countries.

            A group of Elmont’s military veterans were also on hand for the festivities and presented Principal Marshal Zucker with a book of their memoirs for the school’s library.

The mission of the Elmont Union Free School District is to “reach and teach for excellence,” which means continually improving instruction and increasing student achievement. Dedication to this goal is what has earned Elmont New York state recognition for its “High Performing/Gap Closing Schools,” and as a state “model for

school success.” In partnership with the community, the district holds its students to the highest standards while maintaining one of the lowest per-pupil expenditures in Nassau County.