As we approach May, the 6th grade students at GEMS are preparing for their Culture Fair. This fun and exciting project isn’t just for entertainment—in my opinion, it’s also an opportunity for students to experience small parts of different cultures from around the world and become more familiar with new traditions and ideas.

As a student who participated in the Culture Fair last school year, I loved that we got to try different foods from various cultures and experience things we had never had—or even heard of—before. I remember trying a dessert from Italian culture. I had never heard of it before, but I gave it a try, and it was amazing. Since then, I’ve explored many more Italian dishes and taken a deeper interest in their culture. This event can really inspire you to research and learn more about the diversity of people around the world.

Preparing for the Culture Fair isn’t easy, though. We had to make colorful posters, cook or bake cultural foods, prepare games with prizes, and collaborate—even with students from the other class.

It’s such a fun and interactive way to learn, and it really encourages students to be excited about being in class and participating. Out of all the projects I’ve ever done, that one was the most memorable and had a big impact on my interest in different cultures.

If you’re in 6th grade, don’t take this project for granted—because I can assure you, it will help you appreciate the beautiful parts of each culture.