The Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus community held its first International Festival on Feb. 24, with more than 20 families giving presentations on 15 countries, cultures and international experiences.
International Festival presenters and the countries/cultures they represented included: the Prado Family, Italy; the Hines Family, Switzerland; the Hayes and Shirazi family, Iran; the Hayward family, Bosnia; the Vo family, Vietnam; the Jain and Kumbhari family, India; the Singh family, Germany; the Sabareesh family, India; the Popkin family, South Africa; the Slaughter family, Iran; the Taskan family, Turkey; the Fink family, Jamaica; the Bliss family, Vietnam; the Sur family, Ukraine; the Stomayor-Danger, Humanez, Zucconi and Espejo families, Hispanic culture.
The half-day event began with an opening ceremony in George Hall that included a welcome and poem readings in various languages by students, faculty and classes, including a poem by librarian Christina Karvounis, a poem reading by students in grade 4, a poem in Spanish by Emma Sotomayor-Danger (’30), poem-readings by Maya Singh (’30) and Sinem Taskan (’30) and a song presentation by students in grade 3.
Following the showcase, students began rotations through campus classrooms. Spread out in learning spaces around campus were parent cultural presenters, who shared their demonstrations with students throughout the rest of the morning.
Later in the day as "part 2" of the Ponte Vedra Beach Campus International Festival: the middle school chorus, the Bolles Singers and the Bolles women’s chorus shared a live performance in George Hall for their Ponte Vedra Beach Campus peers.
At one point in the performance, a Ponte Vedra Beach Campus ukulele group joined the middle school singers and accompanied them on their instruments.
"It was a great time!" said Bolles Director of Fine and Performing Arts Laura Rippel.
