A fair to remember

Deepa Bharath

Sage Hill School’s quadrangle came alive Saturday afternoon with

vibrant colors, riveting music and delectable aromas.

The Newport Coast private school was celebrating its first

Multicultural Community Fair -- a collage of music, dance and cuisine

from different parts of the world.

The fair is not only a fun experience, but something “that is central

to the school’s mission,” said Principal Clint Wilkins.

“This fair is reflective of what is very important to us --

diversity,” he said. “It symbolizes our commitment to diversity.”

Students of color constitute one-third of the school’s population,

which is at 250 this year, Wilkins said.

“We believe diversity is important because if you’re going to be an

active citizen and a leader in our democracy, it requires a respect and

familiarity of all cultures,” he said. “Also, when you have diverse

perspectives and traditions, it makes for a very fertile academic

environment.”

The fair featured a variety of food from Greek, Persian and East

Indian to French, Italian, Mexican and Japanese. Visitors were

entertained by Latin Salsa, Irish and Israeli dance, a Kung-Fu

demonstration and selections from Shakespeare’s comedies.

Venus Wintemute’s son Eric was going to play Lysander from “A

Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“This is my son’s first year in this school,” she said. “And I think

two of the strongest points in this school are its focus on the arts and

its interest in fostering all cultures.”

Parent Annamarie McGee said she and her son, Kevin Joyce, are proud to

be part of a diverse school.

“[The fair] is a good way to show we support our theme,” she said.

Junior Todd Montakab said he enjoyed the food from different cultures.

“I’m also looking forward to watching the Shakespeare plays,” he said.

Kevin Moshayedi, a freshman, said he hopes the event will be something

the school does on an annual basis.

“It’s just good for us to get out and about,” he said.

Moshayedi’s favorite food?

“Persian,” he said quickly. “I like the spices and the aroma.”