District News

A new Global Connections Club is helping introduce new world cultures and experiences to students at William Street School, one shared lesson at a time. Those experiences include learning about the cultural backgrounds of their fellow club members, sharing meals, learning about holidays from different parts of the world and even planning activities like experiencing international dances and crafts. The club was seen as an important way to help students of all backgrounds feel welcome and valued. 

“We wanted a space where everyone could shine, and could share their stories proudly,” said Alison Camp, a math teacher who advises the club. 

The lessons for students can come in a variety of ways. For the club’s November meeting, students learned about differences in the availability of food around the world, with the help of students from Lancaster High School’s Culture, Climate, and Inclusivity club. After receiving cards with the name of a character, their location, work and life story, students were grouped into tables or floor areas with different snacks based on regions with plenty, some and very little food access. 

“It made me think about how other people live each and every day,” said Ryker Petroffski, a sixth grader at the school. “It’s important for people to be grateful for what they have.”

The activity, modeled after Oxfam’s Hunger Banquet, helps foster empathy and understanding among students. Students learned statistics from Oxfam that more than 1.5 billion people across the world live in poverty, the equivalent of one in every five people. As part of the event, students watched a video showing a typical lunch meal in schools in different countries. 

“I hope they got to think about what it is like to be a kid outside of William Street School, somewhere else in the world,” Camp said. 

With the club in its first year, the group is still developing its plans for the rest of the school year. Future activities for the club include hearing from teachers who have traveled outside the United States, and possibly a dance lesson. 

“I’m excited to learn about different languages, different dances,” said Isabella Wozniak, a sixth grader. 

This article was published in December 2025 as part of the Lancaster Central School District’s Winter Newsletter. Read this year’s edition at https://bit.ly/3Lggqoy.