Bringing together food-lovers from every culture, the Spanish Honor Society (SHS) is organizing the World Food Festival Thursday, Feb. 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Center.
Students will bring in trays of cultural food and try everyone else’s, allowing them to explore each other’s heritage through the lens of food. SHS hosted a similar event in January, but only including food from hispanic countries. But at the World Food Festival, everyone is encouraged to bring their own traditional dish from any country. If they cannot, students and faculty can pay the $10 fee to enter and eat whatever they choose.
SHS president and senior Hsin-Yin Wu worked with the foreign language department to ask teachers to promote the event among their students. She also encouraged SHS members to bring food, explaining that each student could drop it off in his or her language teacher’s classroom prior to the event.
“This event has been one of the most exciting parts of Spanish Honor Society for me, because I love getting to try food that I wouldn’t normally eat. I also feel happy when I see other students enjoying the food, because it brings people together,” Wu said.
Spanish teacher Mrs. Evelyn Silva asks her students to participate in the event, too, so that they can learn about the foods that shaped their classmates’ lives and connect with each other on a deeper level. “I hope all my students bring food or attend the World Food Festival so they can explore the garden of cultures at our school,” she said.
Mrs. Silva explores the connection between food and culture especially during her AP Spanish Language and Culture class, where the students focus on practicing the language while learning about cultural practices in different Spanish-speaking countries.
“Food is part of the connection that you have with your family. The way we create food—all the ingredients, how they come to the table and how they are prepared in the kitchen—is part of history. We can get a taste of people’s family traditions by enjoying their food,” Mrs. Silva said.
If you are interested in attending, please bring $10 cash to the Student Center at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29.
