Diversity Leadership Council plans assembly
Photo Credit: Aimee Price
The F.L. Schlagle High School band is scheduled to make an appearance at this year's diversity assembly. The group was a hit at last year's event.
February 19, 2010 • Stephanie Chen, Reporter
Filed under News
Most people remember the schoolwide Cultural Assembly last February. The Diversity Leadership Council, or DLC, organized performances including the choir, jazz band, a Chinese dragon dance, and the Schlagle High School Band. On Feb. 23, BV West will have its second annual Cultural Assembly, and the activities promise to be even more exciting.
It is not only the performances that make this assembly special, however. It’s also the sentiment of celebrating cultural differences.
“Last year we noticed that, as a building, we hadn’t done much to celebrate Black History Month or any other culture, so the DLC started the assembly,” guidance counselor Kristi Dixon said.
The DLC knew this plan included everyone in the whole school and celebrated culture the way it should be celebrated. Senior Kyleigh Johnson, president of the Diversity Leadership Council, called the assembly’s purpose “creating awareness through entertainment.”
Many students feel as though the assembly serves an important purpose. While some do not think that there are any problems, others think that BV West could use a change of attitude.
“My friends and I are open to people with different backgrounds, but I often hear… comments that people don’t really take to heart,” junior Tiffany Woodruff said. “Others will talk behind peoples’ backs and some even [make these remarks] when face-to-face.”
In a high school where almost 90 percent of students are Caucasians, it is beneficial to help each person become aware of all the different cultures and customs around the world.
“Everybody has a culture,” Dixon said. “Sometimes people don’t know their culture, so they think it’s insignificant. However, it’s beyond race – it’s the way you celebrate, the way you mourn, what you eat, how you dress, and what kind of music you listen to. It’s all of that.”
The assembly last year included various songs performed by the school choir and band.
“I loved it and I had a lot of fun,” Woodruff said. “The Schlagle Band was my favorite.”
This year, the school choir and jazz band will be back, as will the Schlagle Band. F. L. Schlagle High School’s marching band is well known for its southern style marching and high-energy performances.
They have traveled all over the country for competitions and shows. This year, the band was selected to represent Kansas in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. The band has received many honors, awards, and opportunities for their willingness to be a part of the community.
The DLC is also planning several new performances that will cover several different cultures’ songs, dances and traditional attire. A diversity poem will allow people to listen to samples of different languages.
“We’re representing the different cultures through people reading the poem in their own language,” DLC co-president Brianna Powers said.
She and Johnson are planning for each person to read a few sentences while the audience follows along with the English words on the big screen.
“I’m really excited for the poem,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be fun.”
There are many other presentations planned. The DLC members explain that if everything goes well, the assembly should have a Tae Kwon Do demonstration and a Bollywood-style dance, among other things.
“[The assembly] is an exciting way to explore things people may not have a chance to see,” Johnson said.
The assembly promises to be enjoyable, but some people are still skeptical about the impact it will have.
“For people who are open, it will just make them more accepting,” Woodruff said. “For kids who are not accepting – or who have been taught to be unaccepting – it’s going to enlighten them, but I don’t know if it will change their attitudes.”
Others hope that the assembly will change a lot about the school.
“Hopefully, it will validate students that are already here, acknowledge that their cultures were celebrated, and teach others new things in addition to helping them be more open,” Dixon said. “The biggest thing is that every kid who goes here belongs, and they should know that Blue Valley West is their school. Culture should be what brings us together, not something that tears us apart. Do your best to look at the world with an open mind.”
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