Dancers in vibrant colors twirl across the stage to the thrumming music that floods the auditorium. Once a year, Tuscarora students and faculty gather in a celebration of culture at an event called U-Nite. On March 21, the Master of Ceremonies (MC) for this event, Ms. Taton, introduced different dance groups, vocalists, and other performers. The event led the audience through a journey of cultural recognition and performances that displayed the heritage of countries such as El Salvador, Ukraine, and many more. While the event has passed, it’s a one-of-a-kind annual tradition of Tuscarora that students should make an effort to attend once in their high school journey.
Ripples of symbolic colors flash in the viewer’s line of sight, a product of the flag procession where students and teachers came on stage to represent their home country. This was the highlight of U-Nite, as numerousdiverse countries came together to wave
their flags, proclaiming a state of being that the worldwide countries are rarely able to: unity. Victoria Ezumah, a senior, carried the flag of the United States to finish off the procession. Ezumah called U-Nite a “fun experience,” reminiscing, “What I enjoyed most about U-Nite was our ability to show different cultures in various ways that not only uplifts but illuminates every aspect of diversity in each country.” 
Ezumah also performed a song, “Feeling Good”, a piece that was performed in the style of Michael Bublé. Her voice was one of many stellar ones that graced the stage, but her specific song aimed to express the joy U-Nite brings. “Feeling good in oneself and being able to express yourself is embodied in this song. I also loved the feeling of jazzy blues this song gave,” Ezumah remarks. The groovy rhythm of the song along with the positive message filled the auditorium with the presence of U-Nite, one that ignited the audience and lifted the spirits of the crowd. Singing was not the only expressive art that touched the hearts of the viewers.
Bringing movement and dynamics to the stage were dance groups such as The Bachata Dancers, which was a group performance by the Multicultural Club. One member, Dulce Resendiz Rojo, appreciated the performance experience and watching her fellow artists. “Not only does it educate us about other countries but we get to have students represent their countries and show their talents. I absolutely loved being able to watch my friends and teacher perform,” says Resendiz Rojo. The Bachata Dancers lit up the room with their infectious energy and fun-filled performance. 
One memorable group that takes the U-Nite stage every year is the Daniel Family Band, consisting of Angelin Daniel, a chemistry teacher at Tuscarora, and her husband and children. The group performed a traditional Indian song mixed with “Great Things” by Phil Wickham. Gracelyn Daniel, a senior at Loudoun County High School and daughter of Angelin Daniel, explained the meaning behind the song choice, saying “we try to choose an English song with a similar theme to convey the meaning of the words we’re singing in Tamil.”
Daniel and her siblings got their passion for music from their dad, and each “gravitated towards certain instruments.” She describes the meaning that the band has to her, saying, “Some of my favorite memories with my family come from us making music together. More than just being taught music, we all love making music to glorify God, and I think that’s why we can continue to make music together with a common goal. Since we’ve been doing it since we were little, we have gotten used to performing in front of an audience, but we never lose sight of what a privilege it is to be making music together that can impact others.”
Alongside the music-based performances, the coordinators of this event were able to incorporate visual art through the form of a logo contest. The winner of this contest, Beneli Hernandez Santander, encapsulated U-Nite with her drawing featuring a large tree and a circle of flags. “The thing that inspired me to do my design… was to show everyone that although we have different cultures, traditions or speak different languages, in the end we are all humans and we should treat each other with the same respect because we are all humans,” says Hernandez Santander.
Hernandez Santander’s insight reflects the fundamental ideal of U-Nite: people from different cultures coming together and appreciating one another. Ezumah, The Bachata Dancers, the Daniel family, and Hernandez Santander, plus the numerous other performers, made the event the cacophony of swelling music and bright dances that it was. Such a phenomenon is not a common occurrence in the present global relations, with tension often trumping unity. U-Nite combats this unfortunate fact, bringing students together while still maintaining their individuality. Students who have not experienced the celebration should make an effort to attend in the upcoming years, as this event offers food and entertainment, but most importantly of all: unity!
