Friday, May. 16, 2008

Multicultural Festival Celebrates Campus Diversity at Timberline

By Scott Price

The Courier

Parents and school administrators at Timberline Elementary School in Grapevine are working together to organize the Taste of Timberline Multi-Cultural Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

This outdoor festival at the school, 3220 Timberline Drive, is intended to celebrate the diversity of Timberline families. Proceeds from the festival will be used to purchase books for the school’s library.

The multicultural heritage of Timberline Elementary students will be celebrated by sampling food, playing games like bounce houses, enjoying an arts and crafts exhibition, and watching Timberline students perform dances from around the world. Barbara Patterson and Bill Wong, both parents of Timberline Elementary students, are co-chairs of the Taste of Timberline.

Wong said Timberline Elementary is probably the most ethnically diverse school in the Grapevine-Colleyville school district.

Timberline Elementary Principal Cody Spielmann said the school had a similar cultural festival a few years ago.

"We look for it to be very diverse," she said of the cultures represented at the festival. "I just think it will be a great way to end the year."

Wong said many parents have volunteered and donated money to make a Taste of Timberline happen.

He said Jorge Rodriguez, who was elected to the Grapevine-Colleyville school board, is helping with the festival.

Wong said he has not been very involved with the school in the past, but he felt compelled to get involved with the cultural festival. Wong, a Chinese-American, encourages anyone who would like to volunteer their time or donate to the festival to contact him.

"It is going to be an awesome, awesome festival," he said.

Students and community members will have artwork available for purchase in the art bazaar, and games will be available as well.

Cost of the game pass is $2 per person or $10 per family.

Food will range from 50 cents to $1.50 per item.

For more information or to make a donation to the festival, call Bill Wong at 817-454-9453.