Francis Scott Key Elementary School (home)

 

 

 

 

World Family

 

Key has a proud tradition of an internationally diverse student body.  Accordingly, Key parents formed the World Family Committee to utilize the unique international resources of our multicultural community and to organize exciting educational activities. Some of the highlights are: the monthly "Passport Tuesday", which spotlights individual countries, and the end-of-year "World Family Day" during which students "travel" the world without leaving the Key campus. The exposure to different cultures helps the students to enhance their global awareness.

 

On “Passport Tuesday”, parents share their diverse cultures with the students at Key School with delightful presentations.  In October 2006, the children learned about the biologically diverse country of Ecuador and enjoyed listening to the beautiful music of the Andes.   In November, the children visited Trinidad and Tobago through a colorful presentation which highlighted a children carnival, calypso and soca music and limbo dancing.  In December, the children also visited Spain and learned about the country’s rich and vibrant culture and were also entertained by a traditional “flamenco” dance performance.  In February, the students traveled to Afghanistan, and had an opportunity to learn about this culturally rich, Central Asian country.  Also in February, the Embassy of Saudi Arabia took the children on another Middle Eastern adventure with a country presentation and traditional costumes.  In March, the students visited Croatia and learned about this amazing country in the Baltic Sea area.  For the last Passport Tuesday presentation of the year, the Embassy of Japan visited the Key School and took the children on an amazing trip, showcasing scenic views of the country from a bullet train ride—Yokoso Japan!  What a great year for travel!

 

Lastly in May, the students will have another opportunity to travel the world in the school’s annual, World Family Day Celebration.  On the “Key” itinerary, the students will go to Asia and catch a game of “Je Gi” in Korea, step into the “dojo” of Kyokushin-style Karate in Japan, learn to make animals in an Origami class in China, play “Pabitin” and learn the “Caviteña” dance in the Philippines, learn Polynesian dances in the South Pacific Islands, and then travel down under to Australia, where the kids will hear songs from a “Dijeridoo” player.  Continuing across the globe, the kids will stop in the Caribbean Islands to play steel drums and limbo dance, see Capoeira dancers in Brazil, play “El Puente” in Venezuela, and pick up some “Salsa and Merengue” dance steps from a Zumba dancer in Latin America.  Key students will have an opportunity to visit Indonesia and write letters or paints pictures for children at our sister school in Aceh.  At the end of this whirlwind journey, the students can stop in Italy and enjoy a refreshing and cool treat called “granita”.

 

For more information on the Key School World Family Committee or Passport Tuesday presentations, contact co-chairs Emma Rigney (emmamrigney@yahoo.com) or Maria Emanuel (mariaemanuel@starpower.net ).