MARYSVILLE — The ninth annual Cinco De Mayo celebration at Totem Middle School May 1 served authentic Hispanic cuisine to hundreds of attendees, and treated them to Latin-themed entertainment and activities for all ages.
Event chairwoman Marjorie Serge commended School House Cafe Chef Jeff Delma and his students for getting the meals prepped the day before, since the celebration fell on a day off from school this year.
She likewise credited the variety of young dancers, from the traditional Flamenco dancers of Herencias Mexicanas in Marysville and Lake Stevens, to competitive breakdancers from the Marysville YMCA’s Minority Achievers Program, with keeping crowds engaged throughout the evening.
Serge cited the financial contributions of the Y, the Marysville Free Methodist Church, the local branch of HomeStreet Bank and Molina Healthcare, the latter of which returned with its margarita-making exercise bike
“The best thing, I think, is that so many organizations come together to make this happen,” Serge said. “This is truly a collaborative community event, highlighting our commitment to celebrating diversity and making this a truly inclusive community.”
The students of Marysville’s Naval Junior ROTC again helped supervise children as they hit pinatas and played soccer in the gym, which was full of carnival games courtesy of the city, while Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, City Council member Kamille Norton and school district assistant superintendent Ray Houser put in appearances as well.
“And the SWAT truck was a huge hit,” Serge said, thanking Marysville police for bringing the vehicle for family photos.
Wendy Messarina Volosin, Spanish parent/community liaison for all Marysville schools and Natural Leader district coordinator for grades K-12, reiterated her belief that, the more families participate in the education of their children, the better their children develop academically, socially and emotionally.
To that end, Serge looks forward to parents and community members’ continued participation in celebrating students’ heritage, especially since next year will make a full decade of Cinco De Mayo events in Marysville.
