24 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 1, 2016 FOR BREAKING N EWS VISIT www.qns.com Flushing school celebrates student diversity with an International Thanksgiving feast By Suzane Monteverdi [email protected] @smont76 A Flushing school community came together on the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 22, to celebrate its student diversity and school pride in a pre-Thanksgiving potluck-style feast. Students, parents and faculty at P.S./I.S. 499, the Queens College School for Math, Science and Technology located at 148-20 Reeves Ave., held an “International Family Feast” on Nov. 22. The school — containing students pre-K through eighth grade — is a lottery school. Children who attend the school come from areas as far south as Far Rockaway, as far north as College Point and as far west as Astoria. School principal Simi Minhas began the annual event last year as a way to bring together families who may live far apart through an inclusive and welcoming celebration of diversity. “I wanted to create an event that we could look forward to each year and know just how connected we really are — especially in a time when unity is at the forefront of our minds,” Minhas said. This year’s celebration featured food dishes from Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Guyana, Korea and the Philippines. Offerings included Middle-Eastern basmati rice with chickpeas and raisins, Ackee and Saltfish, the official dish of Jamaica which features dried, salted codfish and tropical fruit ackee, and Patjuk, a Korean sweet red bean porridge. “Our school’s diversity is a representation of our school’s borough,” parent coordinator Lora Rowe said. Parents and teachers worked collaboratively in waves to serve and educate a crowd of more than 300 people. “I don’t mind traveling from Far Rockaway for these events,” one parent volunteer said. “We need these types of events to remind us that no matter where we are in Queens, we are still connected.” “We created this event together and it’s beautiful to see everyone celebrating each other,” Minhas said. “We can count on each other. Photos courtesy of Krista Barnett
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