A Tasty Tradition at Milton

There was no pumpkin pie, no turkey, and no maize at the November 9 Multicultural Feast for second graders at Milton School, but no one minded. The lunch is a 14-year-old tradition at Milton and, this year, 62 second graders gobbled up ethnic favorites like Vegemite sandwiches, Irish sausage rolls, and rice balls.

By Sarah Varney

Second-grade teacher Kathy Ridgely said, “The occasion gives students the chance to taste foods from around the world and the opportunity to learn about their fellow students and their family heritages.” The feast is the culmination of a family heritage unit. “Parents bring a dish that represents their heritage,” she said.

The feast was capped off with the performance by students of a moving a capella rendition of Harry Chapin’s song “Family Tree” accompanied this year by hand movements in ASL (American Sign Language.) Dr. Sales, a special education teacher at the school, taught the students the hand signals for the song lyrics.

Posters with family trees decorated the walls of the auditorium the day of the luncheon. Several children mentioned rice balls, ravioli, and meatballs as big favorites. One student gave the final seal of approval when he enthusiastically pronounced, “This is way better than the lunch we usually have!”

In the spirit of traditional Thanksgiving, Milton families collected 310 bags of groceries for the Carver Center and St. Peter’s Food Pantry. Dubbed “From Our Home to Yours”, the school’s goal was to feed 250 families. Each student received a grocery bag along with a list of specific items to collect at the start of the two-week drive. The lists ensured that each family would receive useful food items, said Ann Moeller, Milton School secretary.

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