Passport to Learning: Lower School Celebrates Cultural Week

Lower school students spent the week exploring the world through Cultural Week, a special campus-wide celebration inspired by Syl ’33.

Originally introduced as Cultural Day in Syl’s Student Government Association (SGA) candidate speech last year, the idea grew into a full week of learning and connection that highlights the many cultures represented within the Norfolk Collegiate community.

Tables placed throughout the lower school featured books, photographs, clothing, food and meaningful artifacts from countries represented by students, families and faculty. With passport booklets in hand, students visited each station, learned about different traditions and customs, and collected stamps as they traveled from country to country.

What made the experience even more special was seeing students teach their classmates about their own cultures—sharing family traditions, stories and personal connections to the countries represented throughout the school.

Lower School Technology Teacher and SGA Advisor Ashley James ’94 helped organize the event alongside participating families and student volunteers, including Syl and her friends.

"You can see from walking around that so many people went above and beyond," said James. "Teachers will take their classes around throughout the week, discuss what’s at each station, let the students touch, look and discover when they finish talking about the country. Then teachers give them a stamp in their passport booklet. It has been the most wonderful few days watching everyone enjoy and learn!" 

Cultural Week is a wonderful example of our Lower School Portrait of an Oak in action—students growing as curious learners, respectful community members and globally aware citizens who value and celebrate the world around them.