Students showcase Asian-American culture

Suproteem Sarkar | April 18, 2012 | Multimedia | Tags: aacs, culture | Reader

Photos and reporting by Suproteem Sarkar, Staff Reporter

Editor’s note: To listen in on students’ reactions, mouse over the images in this interactive report and click on the white dots. Smartphone and tablet users, tap the image then tap the white dots.

Paper lanterns and patterned posters decorated the hallways while the poignant odors of soy sauce and ramen noodles filled the stuffy atmosphere. Students swarmed around display tables, drinking coconut juice from cans and demanding a spot in line to play Super Smash Bros. Brawl. On April 17, the main lobby was more than just an entrance to the school—it was a window into Asian-American culture.

The culture day featured rice, noodles and other Asian foods. Photos Suproteem Sarkar/The SPOKE

From first period to seventh period, Conestoga’s Asian American Cultural Society held its annual culture day in the main lobby. The festival featured Asian food, games and art.

Freshman Jake Moran said the showcase gave him a greater appreciation of Asian culture.

“They’ve got a wide variety of cultural foods over there as well as a great station where you can play Nintendo games, which I learned came from Japan,” Moran said. The culture day “helps us all to understand what the Asian culture is about, especially through their food and games.”

The event, which is an annual tradition for the cultural society, helps fund the club and spread awareness of Asian culture.

“It’s the biggest event that we have each year,” club president senior Josh Yan said. “We [hold] it to raise money for the club … sell stuff and give people delicious food.”

Senior Josh Yan, co-president of the Asian American Cultural Society, helped organize the showcase.

During eighth period, club members were joined by the Conestoga Drumline in a procession around the school. Yan and junior Matt Dong paraded in a dragon costume purchased from Chinatown, while other club members threw fortune cookies at onlooking students.