Berkshire Elementary On Schoolwide Cultural Journey Beginning With Multicultural Performance
Berkshire Elementary is busy rehearsing for their third annual Multicultural Performance to take place this Thursday, October 25th at 6:00 PM. The evening gathering, open to students, teachers, parents, and the community at large has become an annual event at the school.
This year’s performance entitled “One World” takes on a special meaning as Berkshire launches a schoolwide cultural journey that will culminate in a “World’s Fair” in the spring. Each grade level has taken on a continent and each class is spending the year exploring a specific country within their continent. The challenge is to find as many ways to integrate the study of their chosen culture into their everyday curriculum in the classroom. As an arts integrated, Dual Language school with a largely diverse population of students and teachers this initiative is a natural fit, designed and supported by principal Maria Bishop.
Thursday’s show will feature ten performances that represent student learning about a sampling of countries from across the globe. There will be a samba by first graders, a Bollywood inspired Indian dance by fourth graders, songs, legends, artwork, and more. The finale will showcase Berkshire’s entire second grade, 13 classes in all as they share how learning about their continent of Africa has inspired them to champion a global cause. These students were shocked to learn that more than 1 in 8 people in the world don’t have access to clean drinking water. These seven and eight year olds have responded in an overwhelming way, already raising nearly $300, often in quarters, nickels, and dimes of their own money for “The Water Project, “ a charitable organization dedicated to bringing water filtration systems and sustainable solutions to the poorest areas of Africa.
“Our students have become such inspired little humanitarians through this project, and they can’t wait to share their important message with a larger audience on Thursday night,” says second grade team leader Kristin DeLaTorre. Donations will be encouraged at the show with all proceeds going to The Water Project. Learn more at www.thewaterproject.org .
Berkshire’s presentation of “One World” will begin at 6:00 pm on Thursday October 25 in the school’s cafeteria.
For more information please contact Ms. Bishop at 561-304-2000 or maria.bishop@palmbeachschools.org .
