Grants in Action: Lifting Cultural Awareness at KHS and Choice Academy

25 Stations, Music, Food, and Education At Kingston High School’s Multicultural Assembly

Lisa Gray-Fritz’ arms have to be tired after this effort.

During the 2023-2024 school year, Lisa Gray-Fritz applied to NKSF for funding to support the Kingston High School Multicultural Assembly. The incredible amount of effort put into arranging this diverse, multicultural event for KHS and Choice Academy students is nothing short of astounding.

Getting the best bang for donor dollars is high on our list of priorities, and for such a small investment of only $1,500, Lisa Gray-Fritz arranged an incredible array of food, music, and cultural knowledge for better than 500 students at 25 different stations that those students could visit.

Among the food options, the grant afforded five stations with offerings from:

• Sourdough Willy's - Pizzaioli trained in Italy 

• Los Tres Compadres - Mexican food

• Fry Bread - KHS Native American Club

• Mexican and Dutch candies

We had 25 different stations with representatives from both tribes, the Japanese American Community on Bainbridge, the Kingston Historical Society, the Italian Lodge, the Suquamish and PGST (Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe) song and dance groups, two separate music groups, the Miss West Sound titleholders, and ASL museum, and various other community and student displays.

Community volunteers also enjoyed their share of the experience, with members of the Kingston Historical Society reporting that, “...it made their whole experience worth it…” when they shared knowledge with the kids of the Japanese Exclusion in Kingston during World War II. 

In order to accommodate such a large turnout, Lisa and her team implemented a ticket system so that everyone could enjoy the food, which the providers went to the extra effort to arrange in more equitable portions.

All said, a spectacularly equitable educational experience for all.