Students learn about others at Haiti Cultural Day

By Heriberto Padilla

There was a massive earthquake in Haiti this winter, and now US troops are going to Haiti to help. Many people worry about the people in Haiti . Last week at Waldo Middle School there was a guest speaker to tell us about Haiti Cultural Day, and Waldo teacher Jason Jones coordinated the event.

Here are some questions and answers that I asked Mr. Jones and Beth Kowal.

Q: What is Haiti Cultural Day all about?
A: "Haiti Cultural Day is an opportunity for students at Waldo to learn about Haiti and Dominican Republic cultures. It is a chance for students to explore history, politics and the geography of Haiti ," said Beth Kowal from Willamette University's Language in Motion program.
Q: Is the name actually Haiti Cultural Day?
A: "Yes, we decided on that name before the event," said Mr. Jones.
Q: Why is it important?
A: "It is very important to learn about different cultures. When students are aware of people and places different than their home culture, they can see the many special things about cultures. People can continue to learn more in classes, from books and from people from different cultures," said Beth Kowal.
A: Will there be a guest speaker?
Q: "Yes, Megan Delph, a student from Willamette University who lived in the Dominican Republic and has friends from Haiti will present," said Beth Kowal.
Q: Will Haiti only have one important day?
A: "This is the first time we're doing it because the earthquakes just happened. We might do it again next year," said Mr. Jones.

I was one of many students at Haiti Cultural Day last week, and I think it was important because we learned about other cultures through stories, music, and food. Haiti was once a wealthy country that has fallen on hard times, and I hope that it will become successful again in the future.