The Clarke Central High School Art Club painted dragons on windows throughout the school to promote Cultural Night. Cultural Night will take place on Feb. 16, the same day as Chinese New Year. “We’ve had a bunch of dragons we’re painting up all over the school and Chinese murals. We’re trying to get kids to see it in their school,” CCHS fine arts department teacher Jessica Shelden said. “It made sense that our event is celebrating culture, so why not (have Cultural Night) on this big day when people are starting a brand new year, bringing good luck and being with family and friends.” Photo by Elena Gilbertson Hall
For $5, students can attend Clarke Central High School’s Cultural Night on Feb. 16, and parents and community members can attend for $7. Proceeds will benefit the CCHS Art Club.
Clarke Central High School Cultural Night, organized by the CCHS Art Club, will take place on Feb. 16 from 6-8 p.m. in the cafeteria.
The event will feature a buffet of international food, as well as student performers and crafts inspired by other countries.
“We’re going to have student performers who are going to be doing all sorts of things, we’re going to have students doing very traditional songs from their countries, and we’ll have some doing pop culture to bring in the culture of our school and what kids are interested in,” CCHS fine arts department teacher Jessica Shelden said. “It’s just about getting people to be aware of how much there is in the world and how different we are, but how those differences all come back to very similar beliefs and ideas.”
The proceeds from the event will go to the art program, primarily for costs required in starting a new 3D sculpture class. Shelden believes Cultural Night has greater benefits for students than most school fundraisers.
“A lot of the fundraisers are like, ‘Here teacher, buy a cup.’ It’s not for the students or an activity they can be engaged in. So when we came up with this fundraiser we wanted it to be something students could actually be engaged in,” Shelden said.
According to CCHS sophomore and Art Club member Anna Julian, Cultural Night is especially important for a school like CCHS.
“It is an event where you can appreciate and get involved in a lot of the cultures that students at our school have,” Julian said. “Considering how diverse Clarke Central’s population is, this event is important.”
Shelden feels Cultural Night will benefit attendees as well as the CCHS art program.
“On top of having fun, safe things for kids to do that are educational, we are also trying to build this (art) program, which has been my big goal,” Shelden said. “It’s just about bringing in the arts and getting it to as many people as we can.”
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