It is hard to believe that the world has been struggling through a global pandemic for almost a year, with this March 13th marking the anniversary of the day schools first closed in-person
learning. However, days before that infamous Friday, the 2020 Greenfield High School Taste of World Cultures became one of the first casualties of the pandemic.
The annual event, which celebrates the cultural diversity of the high school and surrounding
community and is the most attended extracurricular event at GHS, was cancelled for the first
time in over 20 years due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
Luckily, the challenges of remote school have provided a masterclass in adapting events to a
virtual environment, and GHS is bringing the Taste of World Cultures back in on March 31st,
compiling student and staff submissions in a video event much like French Club’s virtual
Coffeehouse last December.
Some students are already participating, such as Autumn Bross, also a senior, whose morning greeting in Mandarin is one of many such videos to be played during Advisory throughout March, which is National World Language Month.
“It has become pretty clear to me that the only way this year’s Taste will work is if a lot of people submit things,” concedes Bross, when asked why she is joining in. “It would be no fun if only a few people participated and we only had a 5-10 min video.”
The importance of participation is underscored by new incentives for students to send in photos and videos showcasing their cultures, such as weekly Class Cup challenges that will be going on for the entire month of March. Students can submit not only to be included in the final video event (which is optional), but also to win points for their grade – something senior Danny Lenois plans to take advantage of, because “I want Seniors to win... duh!”
Not everything can be moved online, however, and GHS students and faculty will sorely miss
the free, multicultural potluck that is normally a highlight of the night. “When teaching about
cultures, food is a big part of it,” notes English Language Learning teacher Ms. Francis Ortiz.
“It’s a different kind of Taste, but this is a different kind of year.”
Both she and Spanish teacher Sra. Tara Cloutier indicate that they are considering ways to
share food safely, though the event is virtual. In the meantime, French teacher Madame Anna Hartmann suggests that students continue the custom by “submitting culinary videos, photos, and recipes of dishes that they perhaps would have brought to the event so that viewers can get a ‘taste’ of the food anyway!”
The World Language Department is also soliciting general performance submissions, such as
playing an instrument, dancing, or showcasing your cooking skills, and encourages any
technically-inclined students to reach out to help. “Participating gets you extra credit (for world language classes),” adds Sra. Cloutier, “so everyone should participate!”
Greenfield High School students and staff agree that the most important goal is to keep this
decades-long tradition going. “While it is disappointing that we can’t actually see and interact with other people and try some amazing new foods,” argues Bross, “a virtual Taste is so much better than no Taste at all.”
“Last year it was stolen from us,” Ms. Ortiz adds, “but this year we refuse to let it go and we’re taking it back.”