FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Cultures Cross at Masuda School Fair

The smells of native foods wafted through the schoolyard: hot bratwurst, yamas (a Philippine dessert of condensed milk and peanuts on a stick), dunk-a-roos (Australian cookies) and even American apple pie.

At Kazuo Masuda Middle School’s Multicultural Faire on Wednesday, students shared their ancestry and their culture with classmates, and learned more about each other.

“The significance is to spotlight these children who come to our school from different countries,” said Lorraine Leavitt, assistant principal. “This is an opportunity for them to share their culture, their foods and their costumes. I think the kids get to know these other kids better and they realize how small our world is.”

At Masuda, 16 languages are spoken among the nearly 100 students in the program for limited English-speaking children, said teacher Bobbie Dickey.

The multicultural fair was started three years ago with the students who recently immigrated here, she said. This year, it featured 44 booths--almost double last year’s number--with nearly 200 students participating, Dickey said.

Displays included those of Japan, Palestine, Turkey, Italy, Vietnam, Republic of China, Spain and New Zealand.

Students displayed toys, coins, photographs, handicrafts, jewelry, games, books, newspapers, magazines and stamps from their native lands. They also dressed in their native clothing, such as a barong Tagalog , worn by males in the Philippines, or a colorful hanbok , a traditional dress South Korean females wear on special occasions.

Sixth-grader Jessica Marchand, 11, from France, brought crepes and croissants to share. Her booth boasted pictures of castles, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles. She showed books in French, including “La Belle et la Bete,” known here as “Beauty and the Beast,” and played French music.

Marchand, who started school last month at Masuda and speaks little English, said she’s proud to share her country with new friends.

“This is making her feel at home here--but not forget where she is from,” Leavitt said.

Neeta Patel, 11, shared puffed rice, displayed her mother’s sequined wedding dress, or sari, and a panjabi , her own party dress.

“It’s a fun way to learn about everyone else’s culture and you can share your culture too,” said American-born Neeta, whose father is from India and whose mother is from Africa.

“It makes you have a better understanding of how they lived their everyday life in their country,” she said.