Mira Loma is well known for its celebration of cultural diversity and student activities, exemplified by its International Exposition, which took place at the Mira Loma campus on April 20 from 5:00 to 8:30 PM. Students, staff, family, and members of the community were invited to enjoy cultural performances, student science projects, art exhibits, live music, and cultural foods. Attendance at the event was high, and the evening was full of lively experiences.
The evening started with IB Group 4 science exhibits and presentations. For the first year after the pandemic, IB science students collaborated with students from other IB science classes to research a particular scientific question. Groups consisted of four to six students who were taking science classes from different fields.
Together, branching out from an assigned theme that changes each year, groups decided on a specific topic to study. This activity served to help students appreciate collaboration, the multidisciplinary nature of science, and the ethical implications of science. The final product of this activity was a website and poster sharing the findings of the research, along with a hands-on, interactive display related to the research.
This year’s theme was “local water.” Examples of topics researched by the group four groups were ocean wave energy technology, desalination of water, and pesticide contamination of water. Visitors to these student-hosted tables especially enjoyed the available interactive components. For example, visitors were able to create electricity using a small-scale model of ocean wave energy technology, watch a demonstration of the conductivity of water, view specimens under the microscope, and have a try at answering trivia questions.
Meanwhile, guests could also visit department booths and over twenty student organization booths to learn more about what takes place at Mira Loma. Many of these organizations also had cultural foods available for purchase. These ranged from full meals to snack foods like boba tea. Guests could simultaneously browse the artwork from MYP and IB art students that was on display by the art wing.
Cultural performances started around seven in the evening. The program opened with a student singing a song in Spanish. This was followed by many cultural dances throughout the evening. One performance, the Chinese lion dance, involved a group of students maneuvering the long body of a lion with poles, such that the lion appeared to be undulating and dancing to the beat of a drum played by another student.
Another performance was a Filipino traditional dance called tinikling, which incorporates a pair of bamboo poles. The dance is named after a bird in the Phillipines called the tikling, which has very long legs. In the dance, the performers re-enacted the movement of these birds dodging bamboo traps in the fields. The audience was also treated to a traditional Mexican dancing performance, along with many other cultural dances. Additionally, the Taiko Drum Club impressed the audience with its thunderous music and coordinated movements.
The 2023 International Exposition was a successful showcase of the diverse, creative, and enriching environment of Mira Loma High School. Principal Clete Purinton shares, “I received several compliments from parents about the IB Group 4 Science Projects, the cultural performances, department displays, and our club activities. The International Exposition is a great representation of our school community and is truly one of the reasons Mira Loma is a special place.”
Be First to Comment