Parkland Multicultural Community Fair

This comes to us from Nichelle Carroll, the Family and Community Engagement Coordinator at Parkland High:

On April 19th, Parkland High School was counting on our community to join in the local festivities at the Annual Multicultural Community Fair.

Children received FREE books during the annual Multicultural Community Fair. The event was open to the public and ENTRY was FREE to all guests in attendance. There was a surprise special guest Host by Drankins, local radio personality. 

There were several student and local-artist performances, Fashion Expo, Live-Wax Exhibit, Academic Department displays, vendors, food trucks, community resources, and much more! 

For one year, the event's organizer, Ms. Nichelle Carroll, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator partnered with Mrs. Keila Gudino, a Bilingual Assistant, and met with the Family and Community Planning Committee – consisting of community volunteers, parents, and educators – to prepare for the annual event.  

We have created this opportunity to connect schools, homes, and communities in one location increasing student, family, and community engagement. We hope you will share your commitment to children and improve education by partnering with our Children’s Literacy Initiative here in our very own Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District.

Several of our very own Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools engaged more than 800 students, families, and community members. Students from Parkland and from Hall-Woodward, Ashley, Easton, Konnoak, and Flat Rock elementary schools performed, as many community artists.

The community came out to support our children from across the district. A special thanks to all contributors, the event was a huge success! 

Members of the Strategic Planning Committee were: 

Nichelle Carroll, Family Engagement Coordinator

Keila Gudino, Bilingual Assistant 

Tia Buster, Parkland Educator

Kimberly Raynor-Jones, Parkland Educator

Susan Bertoni, Parkland Parent/Volunteer

Co-Sponsors: Peter's Creek Parkway Flow Honda, LaRoca Ministries, Big Brother and Big Sisters, Inc., and Rescue House Ministries.

This comes to us from Yazud Brito-Milan, who studies Journalism at Parkland:

When first entering Parkland High School, the eyes are captivated first by the plethora of flags, all representing countries from around the world. Parkland is known for its International Baccalaureate program. The IB is an academic program that places students on an international level of competition. The program also gives the student a chance to immerse themselves in different cultures. So, it is only fitting that a school focused on creating global thinkers would host the Multi-Cultural Community Fair. The night showcased the different cultures and customs shared amongst our community through a variety of mediums. Both adults and students come together to recognize and appreciate each other's differences.

The event organizer was Mrs. Carroll, Parkland’s Family and Community Engagement Coordinator can be thanked for the sense of community she brought to Parkland. High schools and high school students can feel competitive and even cutthroat, but Mrs. Carroll works to make sure Parkland is an enjoyable place with its arms open to community members. Mrs. Carroll’s goal looks to have been accomplished.

Parkland’s parking lot was filled with families ready to enjoy a night of festivities. The families gathered around the desserts and delicacies ranging from flan to sweet crepes. Businesses came prepared with their dishes, and colleges came to promote their institution and the sharing of culture.

The student body at Parkland is a diverse group of young minds varying in race, color, and creed. They collaborated in an effort to share different cultures with others in the community. Drama students made themselves into Greek performance art, French club provided quiche and other delicacies. Plenty of clubs contributed to the night's success, such as Key Club, Mandela Society, Habitat for Humanity, and the list goes on. The Mighty Marching Mustangs and Dancing Debs were thrown in some school spirit as well. Students could also agree on the event is a place to appreciate the differences in those around us; as Kolachi Oparamozie said: “Other people are out there that don’t look like you.”

On April 19th, Parkland served as a cross-section of culture. People from different cultures and backgrounds learned about the customs and traditions of others. The sharing of customs and culture is one of the most human interactions ever witnessed. It is the ability to wholeheartedly share the deepest parts of oneself that define people. The ability to proudly display culture and have it appreciated by others is beautiful. At Parkland High School the community came together to share parts of themselves and other cultures through music, dance, art, theater, and food.