On January 12, 2024, Share the Journey hosted the third annual Marist Goes Global Fair in Khurt Gym. The fair had twenty-two countries represented and thirty-six students volunteering at the tables.
The Share the Journey club hosted the fair. Share the Journey is a club that focuses on raising money and awareness for immigrants and refugees. Campus minister Mary Ujda runs the club, along with a team of students from grades 9 to 12.
The goal of the fair is to raise money for an organization, voted on by members of Share the Journey. The funds from ticket sales benefit an organization that promotes resources for refugees and immigrants. Oftentimes, the organization picked is the Clarkson Community Center; however, based on the amount raised, donations can be made to multiple organizations.
Share the Journey started planning for the fair in late October, and the first meeting to discuss the planning was held during activity period on December 1. On December 16, Share the Journey met to finalize the list of student table volunteers, the setup-and-takedown team, and the organization needed before and after the fair.
To get the word out, a QR code was spread by posters in the hallways to allow people to sign up to represent their country. Additional ways the club spread the word about the fair were through posters, social media posts, and morning and afternoon announcements.
Many students from different grades enjoyed the fair. Student Caroline Spies hosted a table and had some comments about what the fair meant to her. “I signed up to represent my family’s country so other people can experience my family’s culture and why I love and appreciate South Africa and Namibia so much,” Spies said.
Another student who had their take on the fair and what it meant to them was student Nathalie Pedragosa. “The Global Fair is a safe place for me to not only share one of my cultures but also to learn more about my classmates, ” Pedragosa said.
Ujda shared a favorite moment from the fair. “My favorite part of Marist Goes Global last year was meeting so many parents and other family members who came to school for the event. They brought a joyful energy along with the beautiful clothes and art and amazing food that truly made it a celebration,” Ujda said.
The fair involved all the students who wanted to share their country and their passion for it. The students brought in food, drinks, flags, and anything else to do with their country. The fair is a celebration of what makes Marist a unique and diverse school, and the fair allows others of the same background to connect with one another.
The fair was a huge success this year thanks to all the student volunteers. The club helped raise over $1,500.
Earlier this year, the Share the Journey club met with John Watson, who works for the Clarkson Community Center. He shared with the group the positive impact of the money raised by the club during the Pilgrimage Walk earlier this year.
The Clarkson Community Center is a nonprofit organization that has connected people of over fifty different nationalities. Since its opening in 1994, the center has served over 60,000 people with the help of after-school programs and camps during the summer.
