On Mar. 2, during pride time, English 10 honor students will get to try several traditional Nigerian dishes, the event being referred to as “A Taste of Nigeria”. The purpose of the event is to be a culmination of the students’ learning.

The dishes that will be served are fufu, tomato stew that’s vegetarian and then tomato stew that has chicken broth in it, normal and vegetarian jollof rice, and puff puffs. The traditional Nigerian dishes are made by culinary arts teacher Christine Gloninger and her culinary students. “The students have been working all week to make all that for 200 students. We’re excited,” Gloninger said. 

For the past month, English 10 honor classes at AHS have been reading the book “Purple Hibiscus”. The fictional book tells the story of 15 year old Kambili Achike’s life living in Nigeria dealing with a complicated relationship with her abusive father, learning to be independent, a first crush, and growing up. The book goes into depth with Kambili’s personal life but also touches upon the corrupt government within Nigeria.   

English teacher Kathleen Mathis said “It was a great novel for introducing students to Nigerian food and culture. It’s very well written. It’s a coming of age story and I think it’s a good time for sophomores to read it.”

The book allowed students to open their eyes to another culture and realize how different life is for teenagers across the globe. 

English 10 honor student Vrushab Shreenidhi said “It makes me more open to trying new things and experiencing different cultures.”

The teachers decided allowing students to try Nigerian food would be beneficial for students, so that they can have a better understanding of another culture, as a big part of a culture is its cuisine. 

“I think that in order for us to understand other cultures, I think understanding their foods is the best way. Getting to understand the sense of compassion people have and the way they communicate through food.”, Gloninger said, “I think it’s the best way for all of us to learn and I learn so much from all the students I have from all different cultures.”