Italian gelato, French cinema, Spanish flamenco, and Chinatown tours are just some of Rye Neck International Club’s cultural pursuits.

 

By Janice Llanes Fabry

 

Italian gelato, French cinema, Spanish flamenco, and Chinatown tours are just some of Rye Neck International Club’s cultural pursuits.

 

Club moderator Lina Cannavo, who has been teaching Italian and Spanish in the district for five years, explained that because the club represents a mélange of cultures, it offers new students from other countries a comfortable setting. There are also chapters within the club spotlighting African, Asian, Hispanic, and European ways of life. Open to both middle and high school students, the club boasts 50 members.

 

“We try to celebrate different cultures throughout the world,” said Ms. Cannavo. “It’s an opportunity for the entire student body to celebrate diversity.”

 

Ms. Cannavo gives students full rein in planning cultural events. “I’m here to guide them, but it’s really their club. They decide on and execute the activities, and we all celebrate together.”

 

“We like having a lot of input,” said club president Jessica Alba. Indeed, the students themselves come up with a variety of activities that highlight cultural differences. Fellow club officer, Erika Vidales explained, “We like to spread awareness and raise money, like organizing a bake sale for Japan’s tsunami victims.” Treasurer and senior Khloe Lewis added, “To raise funds for the club, instead of having a typical bake sale, we made and sold over 100 French crêpes.”

 

Not limited to food festivals, last year the International Club worked on an extensive project, “From Where In The World Is Rye Neck?” They surveyed the faculty and students in both the middle and high schools about their cultural backgrounds and charted results on a map.

 

“It was a great experience for the school to discover how truly diverse we are,” said Ms. Cannavo. “It also tied in nicely with the immigration unit in our Social Studies curriculum.”

Lucas Bucknavage, the club’s vice president, added, “The club gives us a global view of where we live.