Dayton Oaks Elementary School celebrated its second International Night May 9 by highlighting Asia. The Dayton Oaks PTA family programs committee was responsible for pulling the program together. The mothers on the committee have been together for five years, even through the redistricting which moved their children from Triadelphia Ridge Elementary to Dayton Oaks.

There were more than 400 people attending the event, which the entire school community helped to make a success.

The cafetorium was transformed into an Asian bistro and dinner theater. The food was catered by Hunan House, of Maple Lawn, and included spring rolls, fried rice, chicken lo mein, tangerine chicken and fortune cookies. There was enough food to offer the option of carry out. Special cakes were designed by JP's Kake Korner, in Clarksville. There was a candy sushi bar, which turned out to be a hit. Due to the new county regulations regarding home-cooked dishes, the committee had to get creative with their budget and decided to highlight one continent to keep the cost of the food to a minimum.

The Dayton Oaks band, chorus and strings performed. Artwork was displayed from each grade during art class or as part of social studies projects. The gymnasium was turned into stations of arts and crafts and activities included the Asian craft center, building the Great Wall, Chinese jump rope, Chinese checkers, a chopstick game, face painting, rat races, tangram races, tangram puzzles and the Great Wall climb.

The media center was transformed into a museum of artifacts from all over the world. Artifacts were loaned by many of the families at Dayton Oaks. Collections of items were on display from family travels throughout the world. Artifacts were also borrowed from the Faulkner Ridge Educational Center.

The entertainment was amazing. There was a Tae Kwon Do demonstration by Awesome Tae Kwon Do. Irish step dancers from the Teelin Irish Dance Company; Indian dancers from Abinaya Dance School; Jow Ga Kung Fu performed their well known Lion Dance; African dancers from Wombworks, Inc.; and the Korean dancers from Hyee Kyung Lee Korean Traditional Dance. All had vibrant costumes representing their country. The entertainment was wrapped up with an international fashion show. Every attendee wearing a costume was encouraged to participate.

---

user comments (0)