Thanksgiving Day arrived a week early at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
A memorable Thanksgiving lunch was held for ESL (English as a Second Language) students at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, bringing together students and teachers to share in the spirit of gratitude.
The annual ESL Thanksgiving Lunch was served on Wednesday, November 19, continuing a beloved tradition that French Teacher Maria Kostis has proudly organized since 2016.
The passionate and energetic Ms. Kostis gave her thanks.
“With the continued support of Principal Dan Hemberger and our ESL Supervisor LeighAnn Matthews, I once again planned and coordinated this year’s memorable celebration,” she said.
She continued to express her thanks in line with this cherished holiday spirit.
“This event would not be possible without the generosity of Wegmans, which has consistently donated funds to help make the luncheon a success. Their support allows students to gather as a community and enjoy a festive meal that blends tradition, gratitude, and cultural pride.”.
This year, the INSPIRE Club, led by ESL Teachers Delfina Picchio and Jaime Bandel, played a special role in bringing the celebration to life. Students from the club, along with members of the French Honor Society, assisted Ms. Kostis and Lucinda Jaffe, Latin Teacher, with decorating, setting up, and serving during the event. Jenna Maneri, the district ESL Coach, also collaborated with the INSPIRE Club to develop new ideas for making the luncheon even more meaningful, based on feedback from students themselves.
“A heartfelt thank-you also goes out to both the Latin Honor Society and the French Honor Society for their generous beverage donations, which helped make the holiday meal complete,” Ms. Kostis said.
According to Ms. Kostis, one of the highlights of this year's luncheon was the array of cultural dishes brought by students from the INSPIRE Club. These homemade foods, representing the diverse backgrounds of the BRHS community, allowed students to share a piece of their heritage with others. The exchange of cultures—and flavors—beautifully complemented the traditional American Thanksgiving dishes served during the event.
Ms. Matthews, the K-12 Supervisor for Multilingual Education for the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, joined in on the holiday theme.
“ A big thank you to Maria Kostis, Jaime Bandel, Lucinda Jaffe, Delfina Picchio and Jenna Maneri for their incredible work planning this event for our multilingual learners,” she said. “ It was exciting to see many students from the INSPIRE Club step into student leadership roles before and during the event. I also enjoyed seeing all of the international dishes that students contributed, which represented their own cultures and traditions in comparison to a traditional American Thanksgiving. I look forward to next year!
Ms. Kostis concluded:
“The spirit of Thanksgiving was truly alive at Bridgewater-Raritan High School as students ate together, celebrated one another, and embraced the values of gratitude, sharing, and unity that define the holiday. The ESL Thanksgiving Lunch continues to shine as a testament to the strength and beauty that can be found in the school’s diversity.”