Adorned in a traditional Georgian dress, 8-year-old Angelica Perov waved enthusiastically to her family as she marched along with her third-grade class at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site on Friday morning. The Image Elementary School student was one of more than 1,000 youngsters who represented a myriad of countries during the 13th annual Children’s Cultural Parade.
High school bands, color guard and cheerleaders joined in on the festivities, helping to bring a bit of musical entertainment. Mayor Tim Leavitt, who was grand marshal, and school officials led the marchers from Pearson Air Museum along Officers Row and into the reconstructed fort.
Dozens of third-grade classes from the Vancouver and Evergreen school districts participated in the parade, which was the culmination of a research project that each student had been working on for several weeks. The students were asked to look into their family’s heritage and then choose a country to research and represent in the parade.
Angelica chose the Republic of Georgia because her family emigrated from the country in 1994. Her mother had special-ordered the Georgian dress for her to wear in the parade. That type of dress is typically worn during “big” occasions, her mother, Luiza Perov, 38, said. They decorated it together and looked at old family photos to replicate the intricate design, she said.
“I think this is awesome,” Luiza Perov said of the parade. “People don’t know how many nationalities are here and where we came from. It brings us together.”
The parade’s organizer, Ranger Bobby Gutierrez, said bringing people together is one of the goal’s of the parade.
He said he hopes the project and parade will encourage students to create new narratives for cultures instead of relying on labels.
“We want them to realize that America is not one type of person; it’s a collaboration of backgrounds,” he said.
Some students waved flags, while others, like Angelica, wore traditional clothing from their respective countries.
Lincoln Elementary School students from Lisa MacKintosh’s class sported a “mini me,” a cut out of what they would look like in that culture. They also wore poster boards with facts about the country.
One of her third-graders, Lincoln Goode, 9, researched Germany and said he found it funny that one of the country’s top 10 foods is called Wurst. But most importantly, he said he learned that, “You have to respect other people by where they’re from.”
Many parents, like Yolanda Frazier, snapped photos of their children as they passed by. Her son, Nolan, a third-grader at Lake Shore Elementary School, also studied Germany.
Frazier said her husband, Mark, was born in Frankfurt, Germany. Three of their four children have participated in the cultural parade and all studied the country.
She said she likes that the parade brings all of the schools together.
“I like it because it takes them outside the classroom and brings them into an environment that’s not so structured. And, you’re bringing creativity and awareness to culture,” Frazier, 43, said.
“It’s good to come out of the curriculum and do something about humanity. You’re a person and you’re here for a reason.”
