Post Road School students travel the globe during World Cultures Day

Post Road Elementary School transformed into a miniature globe Tuesday as students celebrated World Cultures Day by “traveling” from country to country with paper passports that teachers stamped upon entry into each classroom.

The students, some wearing attire representing their country or cultures, explored Italy, Mexico, Ireland, Turks & Caicos, New Zealand, the Dominican Republic and many more nations.

Several of the teachers taught the kindergartners through fifth-graders about their native lands, including Angelica St. Hilaire, who introduced them to the Dominican Republic.

“I am from the Dominican Republic, so I chose to speak about my own culture,” she said. “I think it’s important so they can see that we have differences, but we also have similarities. We shared how kids in the Dominican Republic go to school just like them, and they learn how to read, how to write, how to do math.”

Ms. St. Hilaire also shared her own story of arriving in the United States as a child.

“I came to this country for fourth grade,” she said. “I was younger because we start school earlier there, so I was maybe around 7 years old.”

Her personal journey made the lesson even more impactful for students who saw firsthand how culture shapes and connects people.

Nearby, students visiting Maddalena Andrade’s Italy station learned about beloved Italian traditions and culinary delights, including pizza.

They also explored the geography of the country – especially its iconic boot shape – and listened to the tale of Strega Nonna, a classic piece of Italian folklore.  

In the Turks & Caicos stop, Maureen Sharkey introduced students to the vibrant Junkanoo Fish Fry and the rhythms of ripsaw music. A video demonstration had students smiling and tapping along as they learned how a simple handsaw becomes a lively musical instrument.

Meanwhile, in Lisa DiRenzo’s USA classroom, young artists sketched one of America’s most recognizable symbols: the bald eagle. Students took pride in drawing the national bird while learning its significance in American history and culture.

After stamping students’ passports, Dianne Pavletich distributed small Irish flags and introduced them to customs and step dance moves in the Emerald Isle.

Fifth-grader Evelyn Metzinger said she learned a lot about Ireland during the class.

“I learned that Ireland started Halloween,” she said excitedly, referring to how the holiday traces back about 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain.

“I also learned that farmers put spray paint on their goats so that they don't lose them and we also made Celtic knots and then turned them into our initials,” Evelyn said.

Later in the day, students also learned about Peruvian paper weaving, Alpaca art, Italian bocce ball and Swedish folk song and dance, among other activities, before the day ended with a schoolwide parade of flags.

World Culture Day at Post Road is a yearly celebration of identity, unity and the joy of learning about one another. By day’s end, the students carried home their filled passports and a deeper understanding of the diverse world around them.