Arcadia High School (AHS) hosted its annual Diversity Week from Mar. 2 to Mar. 6 to celebrate the unique backgrounds of its 3,000 students. A certain ethnic community was chosen each day, and students were allowed to taste the groups’ traditional foods at the Rally Court and engage in various fun activities. Students immersed themselves in cultures completely new to them and had valuable experiences learning about the diversity of their peers.

To kick off Diversity Week, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committee hosted “Taste the World, Paint the Flag” on Monday at the Rally Court. Students were given paints, papers, and other materials to draw and color flags they felt represented them and their families, allowing their backgrounds to be seen by their peers. Along with this, snacks from a wide variety of cultures were provided to further showcase lesser-known groups and their traditions.

Tuesday was “Snips Y Snacks,” which was organized by the Spanish Club. At the Rally Court, students indulged in traditional Spanish/Mexican treats, such as quesadillas and refreshing agua frescas. In addition to food, students were given the opportunity to make their very own papel picados. Papel picados are traditional Mexican folk art made from cutting tissue paper into intricate designs and are typically used as banners to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and other special occasions, such as the Day of the Dead.

On Wednesday, the Taiwanese Appreciation Club and Cantonese Culture Club provided students with an array of snacks and fun activities to give them a full display of Taiwanese and Cantonese culture. These snacks included egg waffles, egg rolls, and lemon tea. 

However, the main focus of the day was Lunar New Year lantern making (also the name of the event). Students were given paper lanterns and other materials to create and decorate their very own red lanterns, which are very significant symbols of luck, prosperity, and happiness in Taiwan and other Asian countries.

“I really liked the snacks they provided, as they reminded me of Taiwanese culture and cuisine!” said freshman David Shi when asked about what he enjoyed about the event.

Thursday was Kain & Kampay, which translates to “Eat & Cheers!” in English. It aimed to celebrate Filipino culture by providing students with traditional Filipino foods and snacks, involving traditional ingredients such as meat and shrimp, and fun games.

The event was hosted by the Filipino Culture Club and even offered a sign for students to take photos with.

Along with delicious treats, students were able to participate in a traditional Filipino folk dance, Tinikling, the national dance of the Philippines. The dance involves two long sticks (traditionally bamboo poles), which are rhythmically tapped together as the dancers step in, out, and between the sticks at increasing speed. The dance, which is meant to mimic the tikling bird (also known as the buff-banded rail) of the Philippines, represents the Filipino spirit of resilience and agility. Students had immense fun trying to replicate the coordination and skill of traditional Filipino dancers as they pranced in and out of the sticks.

Friday was the finale of Diversity Week and combined all of the Culture and Identity Clubs of AHS to create a powerful display of diversity and integration. In front of S-building, all of the Culture and Identity Clubs set up tables with posters, graphics, and activities, similar to the annual Clubs Day and Clubs Takeover.

The event displayed many of the unique backgrounds that make up AHS, and students were able to see all the cultures that had not been featured on other days (and perhaps even clubs they personally resonated with). Some of these clubs include the aforementioned Taiwanese Appreciation Club and Filipino Culture Club, but also new clubs like the Indian Culture Club, Hindu Yuva Club, and Period Poverty Club.

The 2026 Diversity Week showed students the many unique backgrounds and cultures that make up AHS, successfully giving the spotlight to certain ethnic groups and illustrating the wonders of unity and celebration.