On Wednesday, February 11, Cherry Hill East’s Spanish, Chinese, and French Honor Societies united to host a joint potluck from 5-7 p.m. in Cafeteria 2. Originally, the event was intended to take place on Tuesday, January 27 but was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Spanish Honor Society has been hosting the potluck as an annual event for several years. This year, the society decided to join forces with the Chinese and French Honor Societies to facilitate cultural exchange.
“We thought it would be nice to get together with the other honor societies,” said co-president of the Spanish Honor Society Jessica Huang (‘26). “So everyone could share food and culture.”
Moreover, the potluck not only serves as an enjoyable and collaborative gathering, but also reflects the language curriculum. Students learn about food and restaurant vocabulary in Spanish 3H, so the potluck serves as an opportunity to put the terminology into practice.
Huang emphasizes how the planning process took effort from all three honor societies. They had to coordinate availability and ensure the logistics were set in place to accommodate everyone, such as incorporating vegetarian and gluten-free options onto the food sign-up sheet.
In the end, their efforts paid off as students were able to enjoy a memorable meal and celebrate the hard work that has allowed them entry into each of the respective language societies.
Hayley Smith (‘26), a member of the Spanish Honor Society and attendee of the potluck, notes that more conversation or activities between the different honor societies would have elevated the event.
“I kind of stayed with the people that I already knew,” said Smith.
In general, the potluck was a success. Diversity is a strength in East’s community, and activities that promote cultural exchange, such as the joint potluck, are crucial in encouraging cultural inclusivity.
