News from the Tri-City Voice

Our GWN readers and employees are on the Tri-City Voice! These are some stories:

Ardenwood Elementary International Day Celebration

Submitted (to the Tri-City Voice) By Michelle Motoyoshi

Fremont has become a potpourri of cultures and nowhere is this more apparent than at Ardenwood Elementary School's International Day celebration. Each year parents, teachers and students come together to share a slice of their world with one another; the result is a lively show that educates and entertains.
This year's event was no exception. It began with a parade of flags, a tradition started by Principal Paula Rugg and modeled after the march of nations at the Olympics. Students from the primary grades, many dressed in traditional garments, carried paper flags representing their nationalities as they strolled through campus.
Immediately following the parade, fourteen groups from the primary grades (1 - 3) performed traditional songs and dances from around the globe. Thirteen groups from the intermediate grades (4 - 6) performed in a separate show shortly thereafter. The slate of acts included Chinese and Korean martial arts demonstrations, dances from the Philippines, Cameroon, Ireland, Tahiti, and India, and music from Japan and Europe. Two of the acts were multicultural in nature. In "A Folk Medley" a group of students from the primary grades performed songs and dances from Russia and India. Another act, called "Goa Amache," featured music and dance from Goa, a region in India with strong Portuguese influences.
To participate in International Day, the performers had to audition before a panel of three judges. Judges selected actsaccording to several criteria, including whether the performance showcased a unique aspect of the culture it represents and whether the content was appropriate and interesting for the children. This year 35 groups auditioned for a slot in the primary grades show, while 13 auditioned for the intermediate grades.
Students and parents spent weeks preparing for the show, often spending 2-3 hours rehearsing after school. Their hard work was readily apparent in the energetic and engaging performances and in the vibrant costumes, many handmade by parents. The audience of over 200 parents and students clearly appreciated their efforts.
Ardenwood's International Day was established 21 years ago by a committee of parents and teachers. Today the event continues to thrive because of the dedication of parent and teacher volunteers, in particular Shanthi Satish, coordinator of the event. Mrs. Satish has run the event for the past three years. She said that she took on the responsibility because "I felt this event was a very good opportunity for our Ardenwood children to work together as a group, showcase the rich and varied culture of their native country to their fellow schoolmates, and of course, display their individual talents."
Though Mrs. Satish will not coordinate International Day a fourth time (her children will graduate from Ardenwood this year), she would like to see the event expand to include displays of artifacts and clothing from different cultures as well as booths providing information on the countries represented in the show.
If student and parent enthusiasm is any indication, Mrs. Satish's hope for the event will be realized. As Dorothea Randolph, grandmother of two Ardenwood pupils put it, "We need to give the kids more of this so they can be ready for the world."

GWN Founder Diane Zhou played the Chinese Zither and GWN Writer Chloris Li danced at International Day!

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda

(From the Tri-City Voice Writer) By Mona Shah

The film is set in and around China's Valley of Peace where there are no humans, only talking animals. In the tradition of lovable but challenged cartoon heroes, along comes Po (Jack Black), the well-meaning if awkward Panda bear who happens to be the world's biggest fan of kung fu. It isn't exactly a talent needed for his place of employment, the family noodle shop. Po spends his days dreaming about martial arts while serving noodle soup.
At a nearby temple, Head Monk, Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), has had a vision that power-mad Tia Lung (Ian McShane) will escape from prison and ravage the Valley in his quest for dominance. To prevent this, Oogway must find the "Dragon Warrior." There are five obvious candidates - the Furious Five, all apprentices to Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) - Monkey (Jackie Chan), Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Viper (Lucy Liu), Crane (David Cross), and Mantis (Seth Rogen). Yet, as the result of a seemingly random series of events, Oogway chooses Po. This comes as a surprise not only to an outraged Shifu but to his pupils as well.
When unexpectedly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po's dreams become reality. The very thought of Po confronting Tia Lung is laughable since the fat panda even has trouble making it to the top of the temple's stairs. But Po has hidden talents that Shifu is able to discover and unlock, even as time grows short.
Can Po turn his dreams of becoming a kung fu master into reality? Po puts his heart into the task, and the unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths.

See Cover Story for GWN Founder Diane Zhou's story! You can take the interview and email it to GWN too!

Fremont Flute Ensemble

to perform classical concert

Submitted (to the Tri-City Voice) By Alicia Unis

For the Summer Concert 2008, the Fremont Flute Ensemble will perform French composer Camille Saint-Saens' famous work, "The Carnival of Animals."
Consisting of fourteen short pieces, each piece embodies a zoological motif, painting a delightful musical portrait of a lion, chickens, turtles, an elephant, kangaroos and the immensely popular swan. Originally written for orchestra and piano, this work has been arranged for flute ensemble with narration.
The program will also include "Concerto in G" for two flutes by D. Cimarosa and the well-known "Canon in D" by Johann Pachebel.
The Fremont Flute Ensemble was established in October 2004 under its music director, Mr. Shao Jiang Huang, the former principal flutist of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. In comparison with other flute ensembles in the United States, this young ensemble has made its name on the local scene and in the Bay Area within a short period of time.
In Spring 2007, the Fremont Flute Ensemble gave a premier performance of the "Romeo and Juliet Ballet Suite" No. 2 by Sergei Prokofiev. It was the first flute ensemble collaboration with strings, percussion, and narration. The performance was well received and the audience was delighted with the new arrangement of such a famous Shakespearean drama.
Our goal is to introduce famous classical works to the audience, especially to the young children.
This concert will be a nice weekend treat for both parents and children, so come and enjoy this enlightening performance.

GWN Reader Andy Wang was part of this performance.