Building a Community: Summit Middle School's International Night

“Are you coming to International Night?”

“Last year there was henna.”

“The food is so good. I swear I could eat it every day of my life.”

This is the chatter of students just released from class Friday at Summit Middle School.

Four years ago when her son was in seventh grade, Mina Comailian started International Night, a cultural celebration and fundraiser at Summit. “It has been a fun and popular evening ever since and the spirit of our community is awesome,” Bake Sale Coordinator Kate Kupferer said.

For Comailian, International Night is “a message about peace and friendship.”

“I am from Iran. This is an opportunity to show my culture, the art…” International Night is a celebration of community and individual heritages. Parents, students and community members alike have the opportunity to share food, conversation, artwork, games and political views.

“Everyone gets so excited to share their heritage. Forty percent of our school is ethnically or racially diverse. This event is an opportunity to celebrate just that,” Principal Adam Galvin said.

The event brings students and families together to teach each other their backgrounds. “It has a positive effect on kids. It expands their horizons,” said Comailian.

Since Summit is a charter school and not a neighborhood school, it is harder for kids to relate, Comailian found. International Night serves as stepping stone to building lifelong friendships with classmates of all different backgrounds.

Admission to the night is free, but attendees can purchase tickets to sample the food. This year proceeds went to purchase a new sign for outside the school. Last year the event raised $3200 which helped to purchase Chromebooks. However, both Galvin and Comailian emphasized the event is less of a fundraiser and more of a community building and cultural celebration.

“This is probably the biggest event. Or maybe eighth grade graduation,” Galvin said.

Throughout the night students traveled from classroom to classroom and wandered the library to visit samplings of ten countries: Russia, Iran, Armenia, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, India, Romania and Lithuania. Inside classrooms were displays of artwork, games and activities. Students could get their name written in Russian, Japanese and Persian, try their hand at backgammon or get a henna tattoo.

“In the library we have a board where families can post where they’re from. It shows how diverse Summit actually is,” Seventh grader Drew Kendall said.

To be entered into a raffle, students had the opportunity to record in their passports a cool fact from at least four of the displays and turn the passport in.

The night began with seven performances by students and professional groups. Summit’s Ukulele Club sang “You Are My Only Sunshine.” A team of six female students danced to Tenu Leke, a song from the Bollywood movie Salaam e Ishq. Later in the library, music students played works by various international composers.

Back in the gym, everyone had the opportunity to munch on food from Venezuela, Armenia, Romania, Thailand, USA, Ireland, Japan, Indonesia, China, India, Russia, Israel, Greece, Sweden, Bolivia, Mexico, and Korea. The first three years International Night was held in the cafeteria, but because of constant growth, the event needed a larger space. “Last year it was so packed and we ran out of food, so we’re doing it up this year,” Kupferer said.

While every school has their own ways to show pride, Summit Middle School’s main community celebration comes once a year at International Night.

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