On Friday, Sep. 26, the PPAC came alive with music, dance, food, and storytelling as Burroughs High School hosted its fourth annual Culture-Fest. This year’s theme, “What Brings Us All Together!”, celebrated the diversity and creativity of the BHS community through performances from Concert Choir, Drama Company, Restaurant Careers, Multicultural Club, Musical Theatre, Madrigals, Stage Band, Orchestra, and Symphonic Orchestra.
The event offered students and families a chance to experience a rich variety of cultures. From international food prepared by Restaurant Careers to the array of musical and theatrical performances, Culture-Fest highlighted the unique traditions, talents, and backgrounds that unite the student body.
For senior Layla Goebel, Public Relations officer of the Multicultural Club, the event was about more than just celebration.
“Participating in Culture-Fest allows us to create a welcoming environment that celebrates unique traditions,” said Goebel. “By sharing our own culture and learning from others, we can deepen our appreciation for diversity and broaden everyone’s worldviews.”
This was the first year that Multicultural Club took part in the event. During intermission, group members shared a display highlighting mementos important to their cultural traditions.
“By visiting our stand, I hope people were able to learn about cultural items they are unfamiliar with, as well as how they help define the identity of a culture and carry on tradition,” said Goebel.
Senior Emilia Tippets co-narrated the evening and also performed with Concert Choir and Intro to Musical Theatre. She said preparing for her role deepened her connection to the event.
“The thing I loved most about narrating was probably all the background work I did on it. I got to research all the pieces being performed, and that just added an extra layer of appreciation for me,” she said. Her favorite part of the night was dancing with the Musical Theatre class, accompanied by Stage Band. “There are no dance classes in all of Sierra Sands, so it was really cool that we got to learn dance while in school. Also, jazz is the best!”
Music Director Amber Petersen said one of the most rewarding parts of the evening was watching students take ownership of the event.
“From the students writing the script for the narration to the Musical Theatre students running tech, it was extremely rewarding to observe them being empowered to own these aspects,” said Petersen. “This empowerment naturally lends itself to students growing in confidence, as they realize all of the leadership and cooperative skills they are capable of. For Culture-Fest, this occurs among students working across different disciplines as well as classes. This is an example of ‘real-world’ application of our classroom studies.”
The orchestras also took center stage, performing a variety of pieces that showcased music from across cultures. Senior Concertmaster Angelina Placencia described leading the orchestra as a privilege.
“I’m glad I have the opportunity to help represent various cultures through music. It’s truly amazing the diverse music our program offers during Culture-Fest,” said Placencia.
Stage Band also delivered a standout performance, featuring senior saxophonist Joshua Mower.
“My favorite piece to perform at Culture-Fest was ‘Last Dance,'” said Mower, referencing a slow swing ballad that the Jazz Band performed. “I hope the audience was able to understand how these arts that are pieces of so many different cultures come together to create a society and an environment where we can do what we love. That’s the most important part. Our cultures and arts vary, but at the end of the day, we are all just doing what we love and what makes us happy.”
As the evening came to a close, the message of unity through diversity rang loud and clear. Whether through music, food, performance, or storytelling, students and staff worked together to showcase what makes Burroughs unique.
“Being different isn’t bad,” said Tippets. “Our differences really are the one thing everyone has in common.”
