On the evening of Oct. 23, about 10 families set up poster boards, food, instruments, and more in the cafeteria at Paradise Elementary School as part of the school's third annual Culture Night. The invitation to attend the event tells Paradise families they would have the opportunity to "immerse (themselves) in a vibrant celebration of global cultures." The goal was to present an array of information and activities to interest both children and adults while learning more about the many global cultures represented at the school. The event was free.

Each year, the event is scheduled to coincide with parent-teacher conferences and the annual book fair. Special education consultant Jennifer Gilman said she does not really know how the event got started, but it is designed to celebrate diversity in the school. "We just reach out to families to see who is interested," said Gilman, who noted that students and their families were invited to bring traditional instruments and perform dances associated with their cultures.

"A lot have brought food from their cultures," noted Gilman. "They really go all out to share." As Gilman spoke, a fellow teacher exited the cafeteria with a plate of food. "Is it really good?" Gilman asked, as the teacher chewed, smiled, and nodded. Among the many foods representing countries were apple cake and beef and pork kielbasa from Poland; calissons - the name means "little chalice" - a type of candy featuring melon and almond flavors from southern France; strawberry, vanilla, and orange gelatin treats and lollipops from Mexico; and flan and empanadas from Puerto Rico. Other countries represented at the event included the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Tajikistan, and the Philippines.

Each display shared interesting facts about the presenting family's country of origin. A representative of the Zeomayra Maldonado family explained that Puerto Rico has both deserts and rainforests and that it is the only Caribbean island to have both.

The Knaub family set up side-by-side displays with sister Cora's presentation focusing on France and Ellie's dedicated to Germany. Cora's display offered cheese fondue made with gruyere and garlic. The Knaubs explained that in the summer of 2023, they were invited to a wedding in France, and they used the opportunity to visit the towns of their ancestors and learn about French culture. Ellie's display featured a Christmas pyramid brought to her from Germany by her uncle. Christmas pyramids, called Weihnachtspyramide in German, use the energy of lit candles to turn blades at the top of the pyramid. While popular internationally, the displays are known to originate in the Ore Mountains of Germany.

Ellie also showcased a multimedia presentation that discussed German inventions, including Haribo gummy bears. "My favorite German food is schnitzel," pointed out Ellie, who offered attendees a chance to fashion a pretzel from clay at her booth.

Xochi Martinez said that she enjoys taking part in the culture night because it is fun. "We do it every year and get to learn more about my dad's culture," said Xochi, whose father is from Mexico.

Following the 2024 Culture Night, Gilman reflected on another successful event. "It was great to see the families that displayed items from their culture to share with everyone," she noted.

Paradise Elementary School, located on Belmont Road in Paradise, is part of the Pequea Valley School District (PVSD). More information about PVSD may be found by visiting http://www.pequeavalley.org.