Students at Seaford Manor Elementary School toured the world and learned about other cultures from the comfort of their classrooms during the annual International Week celebration. From Jan. 13 to 17, parents, grandparents, and other relatives stopped by the school to talk to students about their heritage.
Nicholas DiTaranto spoke to kindergarteners about his native country of Italy. DiTaranto, with help from his grandson, Nicholas, shared how he came to America at age 18, knowing only Italian.
“I didn’t understand anything, so I had to learn,” DiTaranto said. “So, what do you do? You learn. I listened to people speak in a different language, English. I had to watch TV where they spoke English.”
DiTaranto explained to students that Italy is made up of 19 regions and that he came from Apulia, whose capital is Bari.
He taught the children about Italian culture and answered their questions about how to say different phrases in Italian, such as “Happy Birthday,” “Happy New Year,” and “Thank you.” He also spoke about Italian food, including pasta, meatballs, and gelato, as well as Italian fashion.
Stephanie Cerreta, whose daughter Christiana is a student, also spoke about Italy. Cerreta, who shares an Italian background with her husband, taught students how to play Scopa, a traditional card game they both played as children.
Cerreta said she loved being able to teach students about her culture and share the traditions she grew up with.
“It’s a nice thing that they’re playing games that we played when we were little,” Cerreta said.
Italy wasn’t the only culture represented, as families from various backgrounds visited the school to share their stories, play games, and teach students about their customs. They represented nations from around the world, including Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Guyana, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Trinidad, and the United Kingdom.
Wilfredo Nunez and Hircania Estevez-Nunez, parents of Leah, showed first graders the flag of the Dominican Republic and talked about their culture’s food, such as sancocho, rice, beans and chicken, and mangú, or mashed plantains. They also spoke about Dominican music, including merengue and bachata.
Joann Krudis, principal of Seaford Manor Elementary School, expressed her gratitude to the family members who shared their cultural stories.
“It teaches all of us the importance of understanding and embracing different perspectives,” Krudis said. “Together, we are able to foster a sense of connection, respect and inclusion among our students and their families.”