It’s that time of the year again, the annual event of International Night is in full swing! Grand Ledge District’s push to implement more diversity and inclusion in the community, thrives through this event and community members are excited to be a part of it once again.
International Night coordinator Raelynne Kinsora – who is an English Language Development Teacher, has been helping coordinate the event for over 7 years.
“International Night began as a simple idea made in 2017, as a way to celebrate the incredible diversity in our schools. It started at Delta Center Elementary, where it focused on our international families. It has since grown to include all of the districts,” Kinsora said.
While International Night has been put on for years it takes a lot of planning and prepping to make sure the event runs smoothly. International Night also thrives on community support and help to prep such a big event that community members look forward to.
“International Night is a true team effort uniting the entire community for an unforgettable celebration. Local businesses, students, families, teachers, staff, and community members all come together to make it shine,” Kinsora explained.
This night is an event to showcase community members of Grand Ledge who are willing to show and teach others about their culture.
The event is split into two sections, the first section being displays and the second section being cultural performances
The first section is set in a space full of walk-through presentations with displays that are presented with food, examples of clothing, and other cultural items, with tri-fold poster boards representing different cultures. Members of the community enjoy the cultural walk-throughs because of the new and interesting topics they bring up to discuss.
“I liked how the sections were engaging and they had items laid out where you can actually do activities,” Xiong said.
The second section of International Night includes specific cultural performances which include dances, a showcase of clothing, and more. Many community members participate in cultural dances for entertainment – which tends to be the highlight of most of the audience’s nights. Junior Kaira Ly is a returning performer for International Night, performing with her group of friends. This year her performance group includes two friends who are not a part of her culture. Ly is a choreographer for her team along with junior Kameron Yang. Choreographing performances is not an easy task. Choreographers take time figuring out formations, finding costumes, and trying to stay focused.
“We try to keep it organized but working with the flow is easier because there’s a lot of different aspects that [we] think of like positioning, what we’re wearing, and what time we show up. But it always ends up working up,” Ly explained.
Choreographing the routine has also made the performers share their culture and experiences. Junior Joy Shakesphere who is a new member of the performance group is learning the ropes of this new dance style.
“It’s really fun! It was difficult at first because I wasn’t used to the style of the moves because I’m used to having sharp moves for pom,” Shakespeare explained. “I enjoyed learning something new, I had fun hanging out with my friends and learning about their culture”
International Night takes place this year on Jan. 24, 2025, and is being hosted at Grand Ledge High School (GLHS) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with multiple food options, and sources of entertainment. Xiong expresses her excitement for International Night this year, which will take place at GLHS.
“I’m excited to see it [happen] because it seems to be bigger and better”
