So much of the great work the PTO does, has traditionally been in person activities, connecting parents and the wider community. Given the current pandemic, our PTO has also had to adapt and show great flexibility over the past year in converting its activities to the online space, all while supporting the needs of ASH staff, parents, students and the wider community. 

The ASH International Festival is one of the hallmark events organized by the PTO each year, celebrating our diversity and all the cultures that make our community so unique and special. With current lockdown and health and safety measures in place, the PTO set about to plan ASH’s inaugural virtual International Festival. The event is taking place this Saturday, March 20, with the festival webpage going live at midnight on March 19 and then a range of activities happening throughout the day, including a livestream of the country basket raffle (get your tickets here) from 10am and a bingo game at 11am.

We spoke with Mr. Barash, this year’s festival chair and asked him about what he is most excited for with this year’s virtual festival and also what challenges the PTO has had to face with organizing from a distance and online. Mr. Barash is excited by how many things are new for this year’s festival and that the PTO is “excited to see how people will perceive it in new form.” 

On the obstacles of organizing the very first virtual festival, he said that “the biggest challenge was to adapt our usual festival to something which would be compatible with a constantly changing COVID-19 situation.” After deciding that a virtual solution was best, “we had to find a way for it to be interesting and exciting to the people in our school community. We all know how important this event is for the community, and our goal was to make it the best we can to keep the spirit of the event.”  

Mr. Barash emphasised the immense effort the international parent ambassadors, their teams and Ms. Callendar have put into making materials about their countries, preparing national dish recipes and compiling beautiful country baskets to be won in the raffle (click here if you want to be in to win!) He also sends a special thanks to Ms. Johnston and Ms. O’Bannon from the PTO for all the work they have put into creating the special Festival webpage, advertising and communicating about the event. Also our National Honor Society students have been involved in preparing materials for the Festival and will be hosting some of the online events.

So mark your calendars to join Saturday’s virtual festival and be sure to visit the PTO website for more details!

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