Stevenson’s World’s Fair Serves Taste of Different Cultures

Students hawked Philippine pansit, Iranian rice, escargot and empanadas while others wore colorful Japanese robes and traditional South African shirts Saturday and Sunday when staged its annual World’s Fair.

As many as 500 students representing 24 clubs set up booths in the common areas of the school’s west building to sell food, jewelry and crafts from various cultures represented at the school, said Greg Diethrich, lead counsel of the Stevenson Diversity Council, which sponsored the fair.

“This is their biggest event of the year. We do other events throughout the year, but this is their biggest,” he said. “It’s their signature event.

The fair wasn’t hard to find when it opened Saturday morning; large colored letters spelling out “World's Fair” were pasted to the windows near The Point of the school.

Inside, the commons area was abuzz as students and their parents prepared food, put up signs and decorated booths that wound throughout three levels of the building.

“The kids are very into it,” said Diethrich, through the din of fair-goers. “The fair has been going on for a number of years, so it has its own reputation. The groups are ready every year. They are asking us when they could start getting organized.”

He said the event is a fundraiser to benefit Child Reach International USA, which works with children in Third World countries.

It also helps students learn about diversity and builds understanding, not only for the kids, but also for the community.

Last year, students raised $16,000; Diethrich was hoping to raise the same this year.

Tickets for food, known as “Go Pats tickets,” went for 50 cents each and most food items cost one or two tickets.

 “I just ate two homemade tamales for $1.50,” Diethrich said. “Most of it is homemade; a lot of parents are involved.”

Frank Gambino, a senior from Kildeer, drew big crowds to his Italian booth, where he sold such items as foccacia, bruschetta, new delle cake and cappuccino.

“I’m here to represent my country,” he said, between customers. “I do it every year. I really love to let people know how I grew up.”

He said everything at his booth was homemade.

“No Ragu,” he said, with a smile.

Eric Chang, a 16-year-old sophomore from Buffalo Grove, showed off one of the more unusual items at the fair, a Chinese yo-yo known as Diabolo, a top that is spun on string between two sticks.

Standing near the Taiwan booth, Chang tossed the spinning object high into the air and did tricks as fair-goers stopped to watch.

Although it looked difficult, “it's not hard,” he said between tosses, “once you get the hang of it.”