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To conclude Day 4 of Culture Week, we held our Culture Night and community potluck, bringing together students, staff, families, and community members for a special evening of celebration. During the event, our students proudly performed Yuraq (Yup’ik dance), sharing what they learned and celebrating the culture of the community. Alongside the performances, we enjoyed a potluck dinner featuring a variety of Alaskan traditional dishes and Filipino dishes, highlighting the diversity and shared spirit of our community. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the teachers and staff who went above and beyond to help with the cooking and preparations: Ms. Maybelle Steeves, Ms. Vanissa Nobrac, Ms. Princess Raquedan Cess Marie , Ms. Marie Eillen Jadap Ubalde, Mr. Dale Aller Ebcas, Mr. Reyn Carbon , and Mr. Mike Raquedan. We also thank Ms. Lena Stewart for helping with transportation coordination and communication with parents, Ms. Pollee Evan for helping announce and keep the community informed about the event, and Brittney Nook for assisting in the kitchen. A special thank you as well to @Joshua branstetter from the Alaska State Council on the Arts for documenting this wonderful event. This project would not have been possible without the support of the Alaska State Council on the Arts, whose funding helped provide many of the cultural materials and food used during our Culture Week activities. We would also like to thank our school principal, Mr. Bart Mwarey, for attending the event together with his family and for his continued support of our school activities. We also extend our appreciation to Mr. Dwayne Hoffman, our School Board President, who has consistently been present and supportive of school events at JOGES. We would also like to recognize and thank our culture bearers and community volunteers who came to the school and generously shared their time and knowledge with our students: Ms. Mary Jane Nicoli , Ms. Julia Dorris, Ms. Loreen Steves, and Mr. Steven, along with many others who contributed to the success of our cultural activities throughout the week. Your presence and willingness to share cultural knowledge made this program truly meaningful for our students. Finally, thank you to all the community members and families who joined us for this meaningful evening of sharing food, culture, and community.
