Clinton High School became a crossroads of cultures Friday evening as students, families and community members gathered for a multicultural celebration filled with food, music, dance, history and conversation.
The student-led event gave young people an opportunity to share their heritage firsthand, with tables and exhibits representing Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, China, Haiti, Native American and Black American cultures. Visitors moved throughout the displays, learning about traditions and experiences represented within the increasingly diverse Clinton High community, while Colombian dancers and a mariachi band added music and movement to the evening’s celebration.
For Spanish teacher Paula Barnes, one of the educators who helped organize the event, perhaps the most meaningful part was that the students themselves determined what cultures would be represented.
“This was completely student-led,” Barnes explained. “I sent out a link and asked the students who wanted to participate, and these are the ones that wanted to participate.”
Every student who responded and wanted to share his or her culture was given that opportunity, she noted.
Barnes enjoyed watching not only students but teachers, families and other visitors move among the exhibits, asking questions and discovering cultures they may not have realized were represented within the Clinton High student body.
“I think it’s really cool to see the community come in and support all of the cultures,” Barnes shared.
While some of the cultures represented have long had a visible presence in the community, Barnes pointed to others, including Haitian and Chinese cultures, that visitors may have known less about.
The evening also reflected the changing face of Clinton High and the wider community, something Principal John Green believes makes opportunities for students to learn from one another increasingly important.
Green noted the school has long embraced the idea of being “One Dark Horse,” but Friday’s gathering offered another perspective on what that means.
“Now we see that One Dark Horse encompasses all types of cultures,” Green remarked. “For us to really thrive, part of our mission is talking about helping kids not just be prepared for college and career, but also to work in a global society.”
That global society, he added, can already be seen within Clinton High’s hallways.
“For me personally, it’s just amazing to see how much of a global society is represented here in Clinton High School,” Green said. “Every kid feels represented, and they have a place in Dark Horse Nation.”
As the school’s demographics have evolved, Green acknowledged that meeting the needs of students from different linguistic backgrounds can present challenges. Additional personnel would always be beneficial, he noted, but technology has helped educators communicate with students and families while also assisting English learners in the classroom.
“It is a challenge, but they are being addressed in a lot of ways,” Green explained. “We could always use more personnel, but technology is really helping us.”
Helping English learners grow academically remains a priority for the school, particularly as students work through their courses and required assessments.
Clinton City Schools Superintendent Dr. Wesley Johnson, likewise, came away impressed by the turnout and, particularly, the ownership students took in telling their own stories.
Johnson admitted he wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into the evening. While the district has held multicultural events previously, he called Friday’s gathering especially meaningful.
Students representing the various countries and cultures researched their heritage and then took the lead in explaining it to visitors.
“As I went around and was talking to the students, you could tell the pride and the nationalism that they had in regard to their country,” Johnson recalled. “They were able to share photos from their country, talk about the different foods, even share some of the foods with us.”
That pride extended beyond the exhibits, with cultural performances helping bring some of those traditions to life. Colombian dancers performed for those gathered, while a mariachi band provided another taste of the cultures being celebrated.
“I just thought it was an excellent representation of who Clinton is,” Johnson added, “and I look forward to future events.”
For school leaders, celebrating that diversity also comes with the responsibility of understanding the needs of an increasingly diverse student population.
Johnson said the district continues to learn alongside its families, particularly when it comes to overcoming language barriers. Clinton City Schools has English teachers from several of the cultures represented at the event, and its capabilities continue to expand.
Among those future resources is Clinton High alumna Woodlyn Pierre, who is preparing to become the district’s first Haitian Creole-speaking teacher.
“We are learning and trying to grow in our understanding,” Johnson explained. “It’s just kind of growing together and learning together.”
And organizers hope that growth will be reflected in future multicultural celebrations.
Barnes stressed that Friday’s event was open to everyone. Students were invited to represent their own heritage, regardless of where their families originated. She hopes seeing this year’s displays will encourage even more students to participate in the future.
“If you want your culture represented, come represent it,” she said, adding one important qualification: “In a positive way.”
Barnes believes keeping the celebration concentrated into one evening makes it easier for families and community members to participate amid busy school, sports and community schedules, but she would like to see additional cultures join the event each year.
Green, meanwhile, would like to build the celebration beyond the evening itself.
He told the teachers involved — Barnes, Ms. Bryan, Mr. Flores and Ms. Edwards — that next year he would like cultural displays available earlier in the school day, including during lunch, to build excitement leading into the evening celebration.
“Absolutely, this will be an annual event, and we’ll just keep it going,” Green pledged. “Hopefully we’ll add more cultures every year as we go.”
Johnson agreed that future celebrations should provide room for students from every background to explore and take pride in their heritage.
“All cultures, all creeds, all demographic groups need to be represented and do need to be proud of where they’re from,” Johnson said. “I think that’s what makes us unique as individuals.”
Friday evening, those individual stories came together under one roof, allowing students to celebrate where they come from while learning more about the classmates and neighbors with whom they share the Dark Horse community.