A Taste of the World

On Tuesday, March 4, World Culture Day brought the entire Newman community together. Students and teachers filled their plates with diverse food from all over the world and celebrated the many cultures that make up their school. 

Sophia Ahouse ’28 shares, “My favorite part was going to every single stand and getting and trying food from everyone.”

Maura Keimig ’26 reflects, “My favorite part of World Culture Day was getting to experience and try all the different foods that our Newman community made and brought.”

Sofia Monuteaux ’26 adds, “My favorite part of World Culture Day was seeing how excited everyone was to show off their cultures and see other people's cultures.”

Lucy Keesbury ’25 echoes that thought: “I loved seeing everyone be so excited to talk about where they were from and share treats and facts about the place/culture!”

Evia Cobo ’26 brings an exhibitor’s perspective: “As a participant of World Culture Day, my favorite part was getting to share my favorite music, dances, and food of Albania. Everybody was very attentive, involved, and asked questions. Walking around to see other countries was also a great experience as I got to try different foods from around the world and see amazing traditional clothing!”

While food and excitement were shared highlights for many, students also had strong opinions about which rooms or country tables stood out the most. From personal connections to flavor-packed dishes, each favorite came with its own story.

Ahouse enthusiastically exclaims, “Philippines!!!”

Keimig recalls, “My favorite room would probably be the room with Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines as the food was really good and I really enjoyed playing Mr. Tranh and Mr. Huynh’s game they had set up.”

Beckett Tonkovich ’26 mentions that his favorite room was Albania, noting that “the food and video were cool.”

Cobo shares, “My favorite country to visit was Poland. Poland’s group had so many good foods like the pierogi and fun snacks, and the traditional clothing was beautiful! It was a very immersive and exciting table.”

Keesbury admits, “My favorite room was Italy/Belgium/Greece (full disclosure I’m very biased because these were my friends).”

Monuteaux adds, “I did not have a favorite room/country. But, shoutout to Evia’s grandma’s food!!”

Beyond food and fun, World Culture Day allows students to reflect on the unique and global community of Newman. For many, the event highlighted more than just cultural artifacts. It showed them the people behind the traditions.

Cobo remarks, “To have so many cultures represented at Newman is exciting and reminds you of all the experiences and cultures that exist within the classroom. It brings another side of students that maybe isn't shown every day, and builds exciting connections within the student body.”

Monuteaux points out, “Even though Newman is a small school, it is still an international school, and sometimes people might forget that. Hosting this World Culture Day really showcases how Newman is an international school, and it is so exciting every time.”

Keesbury reflects, “It’s really impressive how many cultures that Newman draws. It is especially cool that people want to share this with the community and speaks to how people interact with the community as a whole.”

Keimig agrees, “I think it’s incredible to be able to have such a diverse community that is open to learning about each other’s experiences and cultures from all across the world. I think our diversity is one of the things that makes Newman such a special school.”

Ahouse sums it up simply: “Everyone is represented and also lots of good food and mini-experiencing new cultures.”

World Culture Day gave students a chance to celebrate where they’re from, learn something new, and just enjoy being together. It was a reminder of how much the Newman community has to offer, and maybe a sign that next year’s celebration will be even bigger.