International Day

A group of almost 80 school children and teachers sat mesmerized as black-clad performers pounded out rhythms with lightning alacrity and thunderous sound on Japanese taiko drums. When the performance ended, the children broke into cheers. Their excitement intensified when the performers invited them to come forward to beat on the drums.

So started International Day when fifth-grade students from Overby-Sheppard Elementary School, a North Side Richmond public school, visited the University of Richmond campus on Tuesday, April 12, to experience some of the University’s many international offerings.

“The idea for International Day hatched last summer when I met with Overby-Sheppard principal Susan Stokes to discuss possible programs for the upcoming year,” said Cassie Price, community initiatives and program manager for the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE). “Overby-Sheppard has been a long-time partner of the CCE through Build It.

“University of Richmond students benefit greatly from the chance to work in Overby-Sheppard classrooms on a weekly basis, whether fulfilling community-based learning requirements for their classes, completing federal work study or Bonner Scholars hours, or simply volunteering. Bringing the Overby-Sheppard students and faculty to our campus is one way to express our gratitude to a community partner that has been a great co-educator of our students.”

Lindsey Lowe, administrative coordinator for international students and scholars, leveraged the resources of the new Carole Weinstein International Center for the event. “The Office of International Education’s commitment to internationalization doesn’t stop at the boundary of campus,” Lowe said.

“It extends throughout the Greater Richmond community. We were quick to jump at this opportunity to connect our international and study-abroad students with Overby-Sheppard students.”

In all, 16 international students, several dressed in traditional native attire, served as International Day tour guides and instructors.

In addition to the taiko drumming session led by Dr. Paul Yoon of the music department, the Overby-Sheppard children participated in four other interactive sessions designed to familiarize them with a variety of international cultures.

They explored a student-curated exhibition of social customs across cultures at the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature. They viewed artwork, listened to an array of global percussion instruments, and clapped out the clave rhythm that undergirds much of the world’s music.

Heads bent in concentration as the children transformed colorful sheets of paper into images of cranes, frogs, and dogs during an origami session in the International Center.

At the adjacent foreign-language station, international students taught the children to say hello and count from one to three in Tagalog (from the Philippines), Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Polish, and German.

International Day concluded with a gastronomic treat at the Heilman Dining Center. In addition to the familiar pizza and fries, children sampled global delicacies, including chicken cacciatore, Thai curry, enchiladas, and quiche.

Chef David Bevan, of England, topped off the meal with a selection of some of the world’s favorite desserts: tiramisu from Italy, napoleons from France, baklava from Greece, and Black Forest cake from Germany. 

“As we walked the children back to the buses at the end of the day,” Lowe said, “we asked them what part of the day they enjoyed most. They all started shouting out different things.”

But they agreed on one thing—they all loved International Day.