MANSFIELD – Students at Discovery School explore global perspectives from a very young age.
Starting in preschool, students take part in learning about people and cultures close to home and from around the world as a part of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.
Every spring, the students focus their learning on a specific country or region that they are most interested in learning more about.
As a class, they put these projects together and showcase them one Saturday in the school’s gymnasium in an event open to the public.
Additionally, members of the school’s community including family members and administrators host their own country tables to share information on the things that make each place unique while also binding everyone together as a large global community.
This year the event was held on Saturday, Feb. 22 with a total of eighteen different regions and countries represented from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America.
Presenters shared food, music, cultural information, games, dances, and information on each country while hundreds of visitors filled the gym.
Marharlika Martial Arts Concepts put on demonstrations of examples of martial arts from the Philippines, and later Sybil Subit, a Pre-K student, demonstrated Hungarian dance to the crowd.
“This is one of my favorite events of the year,” shared Head of School, Simon Clark, who manned a table making traditional tea and sharing information from his native UK.
“It takes our students through all steps of the learning process, from their agency in choosing the country they would like to represent, research and inquiry skills as they learn about what is most important, collaboration and communication as they decide what to showcase and how, and risk taking, speaking, and listening skills as they share that information with everyone who attends the fair.
“It’s so important in our increasingly global world to appreciate and respect the culture of all people sharing the planet with us.”
Each class table represented several weeks of work by students.
Students in preschool celebrated Lunar New Year as they presented about China. First grade celebrated the did and lifestyle of Italy.
Second graders made a large scale replica of a pyramid as they shared information about Egypt. Third graders and their families dished out Hungarian food as well as showing off their summative projects on diversity around the world.
Fourth graders took visitors to Japan with an emphasis on cherry blossoms. The fifth and sixth grade combined class showcased food, culture, religion, and more from India with the first hand knowledge help of their classmate, Dilshaan.
The event kicks off the school’s enrollment period for the 2025-2026, serving as an open house for those families interested in learning more.
For more information, or to schedule a tour, please visit www.discovery-school.net, or call 419-756-8880.