Diversity is one of the aspects of our community that Valparaiso High School loves to embrace. This love of culture and languages is portrayed through the high school’s involvement in VHS’s annual International Soccer Festival, which was held on Wednesday, October 22.
Students from all foreign languages, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Latin, partake in this event. The classes team up and play for the International Soccer Fest cup. Not only does this promote healthy competition through physical activity, but also it all gives students a chance to embrace the culture. One can hear teams cheering on their team members with clever chants, arguments with the referees (who are also teachers or parents), and comforting words amongst teammates after a tough loss.
“Soccer is the number one sport in many countries, especially in Latin America and countries in Europe. It’s great to see the students come together and truly embrace the culture and pride for their country and language!” Chriselle Waters, Spanish teacher at Valparaiso High School, stated.
The soccer fest has been an annual event for the past 15 years. Like any big event, it started off from humble beginnings. It took the support of the foreign language teachers, students, and community leaders to really gather the attention it deserved. Don Quijote donated food for the students to enjoy after a long afternoon of soccer.
High school Senior Abeer Kamran stated, “The most fun part about this event is really getting to know your fellow classmates outside the classroom. Not only do we get to put our skills to the test, but I always find our class to be stronger and closer after an experience like this!”
The German team took the cup this year, leaving the other teams hungry for revenge. You can bet your top dollar that next year the other teams are going to come back with more fire than ever before!