I-Fest Showcases School's Global Community

“Nothing transports you through space and time like food. It really gives you an impression of what a culture is like, so we thought a street food fair would be a great way to introduce people to other cultures,” said Ms. Mara Jarrett and Dr. Francis Yun, who coordinated the events in collaboration with the participants, including members of the International Student Association (ISA).

The fair featured myriad dishes prepared by nine groups, ranging from jollof rice to Mexican hot chocolate to dorayaki.

“Japan is a small country and not everyone knows the details of it, so we wanted to introduce our traditional culture through dorayaki, a Japanese pancake with red beans,” said Mone Saito '27 and Saki Oshiro '26 of their contribution. 

The following day, the community gathered in St. Mary’s Chapel for the second part of the I-Fest program, a fashion show which included 14 students dressed in clothing representing their respective cultures and heritage. To close out the fashion show, seven student dancers performed the piece Engun Dance Variation.

“The fashion show showcased traditional clothing of various cultures, as well as the skill and beautiful craftsmanship involved in creating them. The different types of garments told a visual story about the many cultures represented in our student body, both domestic and international,” Jarrett and Dr. Yun said.

The events included participation by more than 30 students and faculty representing 12 countries, including Austria, China, India, Israel, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.

This year’s festival was a true celebration of culture, food, fashion, and community. Well done, Turtles! 

You can view pictures from both events on the School’s SmugMug.