Marist High School’s faculty, staff, and students came together to host the 4th annual Celebration of Culture on Thursday, March 6, 2026, organized by LaToya Hayes, Marist’s Director of Equity & Belonging.
The Celebration of Culture is a student inspired event that highlights the many cultures and ethnicities represented within the Marist community. The evening featured cultural displays, food samplings, and live performances that allowed attendees to experience traditions from around the world.
Students, families, faculty, staff, and neighbors explored cultural displays, sampled ethnic cuisine, and enjoyed performances that celebrated the diverse backgrounds within the Marist community.
This year, 16 countries and geographical locations were represented:
- Croatia
- France
- Greece
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Lithuania
- Mexico
- Netherlands
- Nigeria
- Palestine
- Pan Africa
- Poland
- Puerto Rico
- Russia
- Spain
The evening also featured five cultural performances, followed by a group line dance that brought the entire community together to close out the celebration.
Performances included:
St. Albert the Great Grade School – Two Traditional Mexican dance performances
LaNijah Flagg – Modern African Dance
Lily Nechvatal ’26 – Traditional Irish Dancing
Audrey Bilotti ’27 – Vocal performance in Spanish
Mia Bue ’26 and friends – El Baile Folklórico
The evening concluded with a group line dance, inviting attendees to join in the celebration.
Reflecting on the event, Hayes shared her gratitude for the community’s participation:
A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and supported our annual Celebration of Culture this past week. Seeing our students, families, faculty and staff, and neighbors come together to celebrate the vibrant diversity of cultures is what makes this school so special.
Whether you volunteered your time, donated resources, or simply graced us with your presence, you played a vital role in making the day a success. We are so proud of what we accomplished together, and we’re already looking forward to next year. Thank you.”
The Celebration of Culture continues to be a meaningful opportunity for the Marist community to share traditions, learn from one another, and celebrate the diversity that strengthens our school.
