By Steve Powell

spowell@marysvilleglobe.com

TULALIP – Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary School couldn’t have picked a better time for its Cultural Fair.

“It was perfect timing with the nation the way it is right now,” assistant principal Benny Juarez said Thursday night. “We came together.”

Principal Cory Taylor agreed the separation between the two major political parties is huge.

“There’s a division,” he said. “We want to celebrate diversity with honor and respect.”

Moiya Rossnagle, who as the family liaison organized the event, said: “We’ve never had a turnout like this. People want to learn about other people’s culture.”

Juarez, who has been with the Marysville School District for 40 years, said the school has been thinking of doing the event for sometime. Rossnagle brought it all together in about a month, inviting school staff to set up booths informing visitors about their culture. “Come in and share your culture,” she said of the invite. “We want to connect families to the school.”

Taylor said, “Our staff showed the beautiful diversity we have.”

Hundreds of people attended and saw a variety of displays, some which included food.

The Mexican American table gave out fresh pineapple juice and chips with pica de gallo.

Becky Nguyen, a math specialist, served mini egg rolls representing China and Vietnam.

Lisa Sablan, who lived in Guam for six years, gave out coconut candy she made. Wendy Messarine Volosin had billboards about Peru. Fifth-grade social studies teacher Christie Johnson said each of her classes did a poster for Martin Luther King Jr. Day that was on display. Along with one on MLK there also were topics such as slavery and current racial tensions in the country.

Another display was on Native American frybread and weaving. The school celebrates culture more than most in the Marysville School District because it’s on the reservation. They have Native American dancing, drumming and singing each morning. Elders often come to the school for storytelling and other activities.