Local dancer and artist Vickie Cassanova sat in the rocking chair at the front of the classroom, the students intensely focused on the story she was reading to them. Like other stories Ms. Vickie shared with the students over the past few weeks, this story about an Amish girl in Pennsylvania allowed the kids to "visit" another culture.

Via OPEF's Art Start program, the kids in Ms. Louthan's 2nd grade at Beye "travelled" with Ms. Vickie from Africa to the Caribbean and around America. Along the way, she integrated music, dance, art, and clothing into their discussions about how different cultures express their beliefs and their feelings.

Oliver K. said, "I never knew these names and I never knew these places existed." His classmate Louis D. added, "I only knew about certain places and I really would like to learn about more and this is a good chance to get to do that." Charlotte N. agreed that it is "fun to 'travel' to different states and countries."

Students learned about country dancing, the blues, and limbo dancing among others. They visited the District 97 Multicultural Center at Julian, and showcased what they learned with costumes, art, music, and dances in a performance on November 18,

Make sure to check out photos from the event by Oak Park photographer Paul Goyette.