The World Language Department hosted its second annual World Language Week from Jan. 26-30. This year’s theme, “Opt 4 Joy,” emphasized cultural appreciation through a week of dress-up themes and performances representing different cultures and activities celebrating global traditions.

Upper School Spanish teacher Sephora Escarpeta-Garcia, who organized World Language Week, said there were many performances representing a diverse community on the Quad to share the diversity in our community.

“World Language Week is celebrated through different cultural activities in our classrooms,” Escarpeta-Garcia said. “On the Quad, we offered something different everyday. Through partnering with Performing Arts Teacher Zanaida Robles, choral students performed in English, French and Spanish. There were also dances by affinity groups such as SASA, BLACC and LAHSO, as well as performances from students taking Chinese. Through these fun activities, we were able to expose cultural diversity to the whole community, especially since not everyone takes a language.”

Chrissy Kim ’28, who performed as both a choral singer and a Spanish class singer, said the performances helped bring World Language Week to life.

“The performances were a great way to showcase what each language department has been learning, and it was a wonderful idea to combine music with the different languages like Spanish and French,” Kim said. “I believe that partaking in these activities firsthand is always a good way to immerse yourself in the countries that you are trying to learn about.”

Programs Coordinator Kacie Cox said planning for World Language Week began months in advance.

“World Language Week planning started in early October,” Cox said. “It started with meeting with the language department to talk about their goals for the year. This year, the department wanted to bring joy, which inspired the theme ‘Opt 4 Joy.’ We brainstormed things that worked in the past, and what might encourage more people to sign up for language classes.”

Escarpeta-Garcia said the event was an engaging form of cultural immersion for the school community.

“The purpose of World Language Week was to promote culture and diversity,” Escarpeta-Garcia said. “It was a fun and relaxed way to bring the community together.”

Cox said she anticipated for students to gain exposure to cultures they may not have been familiar with.

“I hope the students took away acknowledgement of culture different from our own,” Cox said. “It’s so important to expose ourselves to experiences that outside of what we already know and to learn about new languages, countries and traditions. I wish students took away a greater curiosity and love for learning about different cultures.”