Horizon goes global for a night
Horizon Elementary School staged “Around the World in One Epic Night” to showcase diversity of the populations at school and in Madison.
“We have kids and families from many different countries,” hearing impairment teacher Amy Williams said. Williams co-chaired the event with second-grade teacher Annette Driggers, who originated the idea.
Planning began in January to “to pull everything together,” Williams said. All teachers assisted, along with room parents, PTA members and Madison residents.
“Students were immersed in the culture of their country,” Williams said. They learned geography, native language and foods, holidays, traditions, weather and animals.
Math lessons, along with social studies, were incorporated to learn facts about each country. Sixth-graders chose Germany as a tie-in to their curriculum. Using iPads, kindergartners communicated with their peers in Peru, while older students researched their countries.
Artist Lisa Riccadi from 16 Main Gallery painted a Kenyan mural with a fourth-grader. Colleen Murch of Picket Fence Studios created origami with second-graders studying Japan. Huntsville Irish dancers taught kindergartners a jig.
The band Kinvara performed, along with barbershop quartet Audio Radiance.
Lynn Ray’s sixth grade class presented a French café with sparkling ‘wine,’ cheese and crème brulee — even ballerinas. With “Walk Like an Egyptian” playing, Cami Coker’s kindergarten class had a mummy greeter. The Nile River, rock and Egyptian sand were displayed. Dates, figs and raisins were served.
Carolyn Parker’s second-grade class dressed as Dutch children with posterboard ‘wooden’ shoes. Teachers and students wore authentic clothing from Kenya, Vietnam, Russia and other locales.
Emma Wilbanks and her drama students from Discovery Middle School offered Aborigine face painting for Australia and New Zealand.
Kindergartner Rian Edwards said, “I loved everything!” Second-grader Dylan Pierce Arzadon learned the Rubik’s Cube was made in Hungary.
“I liked visiting all the classrooms with my friends. It was exciting to see so many different things,” second-grader Natazia Kate Do said.
Casa Blanca, Sakura and Surie of Madison donated gift cards as door prizes.
