'Festival of Nations' at LBHS tonight

Zaida D. Castano, Gaby Amado and Kelly Almeida, all students in the Long Branch Public Schools system, prepare to participate in the 2008 Festival of Nations event tonight.

The Long Branch Public Schools system will host the "Festival of Nations Showcase" tonight at 6 p.m. at the high school on Indiana Avenue.

The event will be the school system's third festival of its kind to be held, and this year the showcase will be a threetiered event that incorporates staff, students and families from grades prekindergarten through 12, with various multicultural displays representing nations around the world.

The displays will include the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, India, China, Brazil, Portugal and others from around the world.

The showcase will feature booths decorated with students' work and items from around the globe. There will be a culinary tasting room where guests can sample ethnic dishes, and there will also be a mul- ticultural show that incorporates song, dance, poetry, drama and shows of contemporary global fashions.

"This is one of the town's premier events, as it represents the colorful fabric from which the rich tapestry of Long Branch is woven," Long Branch Superintendent of Schools Joseph M. Ferraina said in a press release.

The festival was first celebrated in 1988 at the Long Branch Middle School when Ferraina had the idea of hosting a multicultural educational event, according to the release.

Again, in 1998, the Middle School held the second festival that honored Ferraina as a pioneer and strong believer in cultural diversity.

One of the goals of Long Branch Public Schools is to bring cultural awareness within the district and community.