On March 26, laughter, friendly competition, and snacks filled the Westmore Elementary gym as families gathered for a Multilingual Family Game Night.
Organized by the District 45 Multilingual Department and the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee, the event featured board games like Uno, Lotería, and Apples to Apples, along with puzzles and coloring activities.
Westmore ESL Teacher and event organizer Katherine Portilla shared that the event offered an inclusive environment where families felt recognized, appreciated, and connected, regardless of their home language.
“Watching the kids light up when they saw a game or greeting in their language was incredibly moving,” said Portilla.
Westmore parent Yevhennia Korchynska said it was an excellent opportunity to spend an evening with friends and to share and learn about traditions and customs of different countries.
Korchynska and her fourth-grader, Mariia Korchynska, especially enjoyed a game of Who am I?, which Mrs. Korchynska found “funny, cheerful, and very interesting.”
Overall, Portilla was happy with the results of the first-time event and hopes for the event to grow.
“I’d love to see even more families involved, more languages represented, and more opportunities for our multilingual families to lead and share their voices,” said Portilla.
What a fun night! Thank you to all the participating families and event staff for making this a memorable and successful event.