By Anthony Ciano, Managing Editor
February 5, 2024
ROCKLAND - As of November 2023, two new flags were added to the Rockland High School cafeteria, to represent the growing diversity of the student population.
In September of 2023, The Veritas published a story about the flags in the cafeteria and those students who felt currently unrepresented by the project.
Before November, 61 different countries were represented in the Rockland High Cafeteria, in the form of flags.
Each flag represents a different member of the student body and their ancestral ties.
This project was started a few years ago by students who felt underrepresented and singled out.
Now, every year a survey is sent out to assess which flags need to be added, to consistently represent the growing diverse population at RHS.
The first new country represented is a country in Central Asia named Kazakhstan.
In September, senior Lily McLaughlin explained that she felt unrepresented by the flag projected, as her country's flag of Kazakhstan was not included.
Now, with the inclusion of Kazakhstan, Mclaughlin said that she is “very excited and proud to have [her] country's flag displayed along with the other countries in the cafeteria."
Along with the addition of the country of Kazakhstan’s flag, the flag of San Marino was also added, a small landlocked country in southern Europe, which is the heritage of The Veritas Reporter, and author of this story, Anthony Ciano.
While the flags at Rockland High School are a source of pride for students from all different backgrounds to express themselves and feel represented, the school also works with students in many other ways.
At Rockland High School, there is a program called ESL, in which students from other countries who enter the school community can be comforted and welcomed as well as learn English with a large number of support through staff and student peers.
Ms. Digna Nunez, a teacher in the ESL department, explained that in her time working at RHS, she has worked with students from Morocco, Brazil, Portugal, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Southern India, Lebanon, and Iraq.
As for flags in the cafeteria, Rockland represents all the countries Nunez has worked with students from besides Iraq.
Recently in December of 2023, Nunez hosted a Secret Santa Christmas event for her students to participate in with the goal of “showing them a safe way to transition and also help them to understand and respect other people's beliefs that way they can be respectful” and “to help them find a comfort zone and not be left out just because their traditions are different.”
Nunez understands that with Rockland’s diverse student body, comes many students from different backgrounds and cultures, some of which who don’t celebrate Christmas and other popular holidays in the United States.
Along with hosting an inclusive holiday party, Nunez also works to help students be proud of their backgrounds and cultures through different events. Nunez said that this year there is a “plan to display some tables for students to bring something in to display their culture at the spring art fair.”
She also explained that “last year we brought Brazilian food to the cafeteria and had a Brazilian cultural dance show that they do during specific holidays. Parents, children, friends, and siblings at Rockland public schools gathered for that and loved it.”
During Dog Blocks at Rockland High School, Nunez also takes students who are new to Rockland or want to learn more about it, around town to explore various important buildings like the fire station, town hall, and library, to explain how communities in the United States work and the resources available.
Principal Dr. John Harrison said that he wants to “make sure every person feels represented and a part of this community.”
Dr. Harrison explained that there is an Equity and Inclusion sub-committee at Rockland High School consisting of various teachers, which meets monthly to discuss ideas on how to better represent the community.
Harrison also said that there are “several organizations around campus including the GSA, Bulldog Buddies, Women's Empowerment Club, and Daring Discussion group” in which “we have these groups on campus that work together and individually to come up with ways to make our community more whole and inclusive.”
Every year, new organizations and clubs are created at Rockland High School, to help positively impact the school community.
RHS always makes sure that students have a voice and can express themselves.
Since successfully getting her country’s flag of Kazakhstan added to the cafeteria, McLaughlin said that “although Rockland High School is a very diverse community, I wish there was more recognition for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” which takes place in May.
For the future of flags being hung in the cafeteria at Rockland High School, Dr. Harrison explained that “we are going to update it the same way we do every year. In the fall Daring Discussions is the group that sends out the form and emails it out as well as compiles the data and tells me… the flags to order. It is an easy thing for us to do and we will continue to do that!”