Organizations, community gather for Night of Unity
Pleasant Valley senior Kyle Smith demonstrates how the robot works at the Pleasant Valley Science Club’s table during Tuesday’s Night of Unity at Pleasant Valley High School. STACI L. GOWER/TIMES NEWS
Nancy Wright, left, and Josephine Gioia, from the Growing Place, sing and clap to Miss Mary Mack while children play behind them. “Unplugged” was the theme of their area at Tuesday’s 19th Annual Night of Unity at Pleasant Valley High School. They had activities for children to do instead of watching TV or using their cellphone. The purpose of the event is to provide a better understanding and appreciation of cultural, musical, historical religious and other types of groups in the community. See a photo gallery at tnonline.com.
More than 50 organizations from around Monroe County and Pleasant Valley School District filled the A.A. Smith Gymnasium with music, food, dancing, games and displays during the 19th Annual Night of Unity on Tuesday.
“This is our second year here to promote our culture in the community and share our heritage,” said Ulana Prociuk of the Ukrainian Homestead in Lehighton.
She and Eugenia Provolak showed guests cross stitch tablecloths, tableware with special designs, a pillow and two types of bread.
“Korovai is a wedding bread and kolach is a Christmas bread,” Prociuk said.
A group of kindergarten and third-grade students sang “We are the World” and waved colorful handkerchiefs at the beginning of the event.
These students are in the Buddies group at Pleasant Valley Elementary. It pairs a class of third-graders with a class of kindergartners, and they form friendships while doing buddy activities, said teacher Desiree Murray.
Nancy Wright and Josephine Gioia, teachers at the Growing Place, showed kids how to do hand games to songs such as “Miss Mary Mack” at their station which had the “Unplugged” theme.
The station had hula hoops, wooden Jenga blocks, jump ropes and other children’s games.
These activities are to get kids away from television, phones and other electronic devices.
“The goal is to have fun without screens,” Wright said.
Various dance groups performed for the audience seated in the bleachers throughout the two-hour event. They included McElligott School of Irish Dance, Cartesion Dance Academy, Pleasant Valley Dance Team and Whirling Dervish.
“I’ve been bouncing around to the different groups, seeing the various displays and all the food. I think it’s great,” said junior Nathan Bozeman.
He and his friends, twins Mallory Kostovich and Adam Kostovich, were representing the Gay Straight Alliance, a Pleasant Valley High School student group with two faculty advisers, Miranda Ford and Lori Bettencourt.
The GSA had a photo booth with an array of props for event attendees to wear during the photo.
At the PVHS Science Club’s table, Kyle Smith explained how the robot was programmed to stay on the track, which was a piece of black tape on a thin board. It has light sensors to make it turn when it nears the edge.
“I like robotics and specifically chose Widener University for its robotics engineering major,” he said.
Andy Witinski, 12th-grade physics and robotics teacher, built the robot, and the science club members programmed it. They participate in various science Olympiads locally.
Other participants included the Eldred Township Historical Society, West End Food Pantry, Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network, Grundsow Lodge No. 6 of Monroe County, Effort United Methodist Church and the American Legion Post 927 in Gilbert.
The night ended with Don Wild Eagle and other Wolf Clan Dancers encouraging guests to join them for a round dance of friendship and unity.
In this type of dance, “no one is in the front. No one is in the back. We are all equal,” said Don Wild Eagle.
