On March 13th, the History Department once again hosted its annual Cultural Heritage Fair. The fair is an opportunity for the students at West Springfield High School to celebrate various cultures from around the world, and it also helps to educate them about the diversity in our school district.
The event has become a long standing tradition at West Side and is open to all. It includes foods and festivities that represent the numerous cultures that make up the student body and larger community. It often brings in about four hundred to six hundred visitors each year. Mr. Stanley Svec, Chair of the History Department, believes the fair is a way to increase the connection among students, their families, and the school community.
The Cultural Heritage Fair had its beginnings fifteen years ago. It began as a way to teach students understanding and tolerance about others’ cultures. Today, the fair serves more as a way to help students feel better connected to their own heritages and to give them “a moment in the sun,” as Mr. Svec says. The fair has given our overall school district a chance to tap into and show pride in its West Side heritage.
