Students bring LIGHT to Diversity at Montour

Students bring LIGHT to Diversity at Montour

By Jason Wagner, Contributing Writer

The LIGHT Group's field trip on May 20 to Montour School District's campus was to help enrich students in cultural and leadership experiences. Junior Juliana Gorsuch, Sophomore Madison Leight, and Freshman Jason Wagner attended along with Senior Leghart and Sen. Federer. Mrs. Sertti, event coordinator, had the students build "light" houses as a group activity. After that, three guest speakers spoke: Montour Grad, Nathan Krause (proactive leadership and taking initiative), RMU Professor, Jim Vincent (leadership with limited resources), and Diane Turnshaek (light pollution and the Dark Skies Initiative). After the speakers concluded, students were invited to see cultural and artistic exhibits. The trip left students feeling enriched and gratified, and Sen. Federer treated the group to Boba tea on their way back to school. Burrell students can expect to see some similar speakers next year.

Cultural Exhibits:

• South Korean booth: students were treated to Korean Tacos and rice stuffed seaweed. She helped students learn how to use chopsticks. Students competed with chopsticks, and Freshman Jason Wagner was the proud winner of a mug.

• India booth: the mother and daughter team treated students to pastries stuffed with potatoes and peas, Chai tea, and Indian crackers.

• Taiwan and Philippines booth: while the Taiwan offered traditional egg rolls, the Philippines offered Filipino flatbread with jelly.

• Jewish Food booth: served latkes or Jewish potato pancakes

Art Exhibits:

• Mrs. Ebtehal Badawi, an artist who has painted 300+ murals, helped people to paint one brush stroke of her painting. She is from the Pittsburgh Builds Bridges project, and her biggest mural was 3,700 feet.

• Maxo Vanco - a Croatian artists who paints religious murals

• City of Asylum - aides writers who are seeking refuge

• Pittsburgh Holocaust Center - enriched students on Jewish and racial heritage

• Alberian Todd Vickers - offered heritage stories and pierogies