On May 22, hundreds of Cascadia Elementary School students traveled around the globe without leaving campus. As kids gathered in the gym that morning, eagerly awaiting the fun day to come, Principal Dawn Christiana and PTO President Kellie Poehls greeted them in colorful retro flight attendant uniforms.

“Welcome aboard Cascadia Airlines!” Poehls told the students. “As we prepare for takeoff, please make sure your backpacks are stowed, your curiosity is in the upright position, and your best attitudes are ready for adventure.”

This morning assembly – which featured performances from Mexican, Irish, and Lummi culture – was just the start of a whirlwind day. During the afternoon and evening, students and their families stopped by a series of booths in the gym, each representing a different part of the world.

The inaugural Cascadia World Tour was a wild success, thanks to Cascadia staff, Poehls, and a team of parent volunteers excited to share their families’ cultures with Cascadia families.

“It’s really important for everyone to be celebrated, everyone to be heard, and for everyone to belong,” said Poehls.

“I think, as a community, when families share their cultures with our children, we all benefit,” added Christiana.

When Poehls was growing up in Colorado Springs, her school held an annual World Tour Day of their own. She had been working with Cascadia staff for a couple of years on how they could bring this fun event to Cascadia, and it finally came to life this spring.

Students were fully invested in the experience, even before the main event. For a couple weeks beforehand, kids learned songs from around the world in music class and created flyers for the foyer with every single flag from around the globe.

During the tour, each table had food, games, and/or artifacts from the various cultures making up Cascadia. To name a couple examples, the Alaska Native table had otter fur and a wooden paddle, while the Oaxaca booth had a variety of delicious foods to sample, such as mole negro and molcajete.

Serina Semu, who ran the New Zealand booth, said she loved sharing her Kiwi and Pacific Islander heritage with Cascadia students, and thought the World Tour was a fantastic idea.

“I think it’s great that they’re recognizing so many different cultures,” she said.

Multiple Cascadia parents who accompanied their students during the evening event were also impressed.

"I think this is one of the coolest events we’ve ever done,” said Ashley Molendyk, a parent of two Gryphons and a paraeducator. “This is bringing attention to our beautiful diversity.”

“This is fabulous,” added fellow Cascadia parent Emily Falk. “My daughter was showing me her passport today that she made, and she’s learning information that I didn’t even know!”