First Posted: 11/20/2014

PITTSTON — Not often will you be served Italian, Mexican and Chinese food in the same place, unless it’s at Pittston Area High School.

The Pittston Area High School International Cultural Experience club, or I.C.E. Club, held its annual International Food Night on Thursday in the high school cafeteria.

Special education teacher and I.C.E. Club moderator Nicole Rugletic is in her fourth year in that position, but said the annual event has been going on for nearly 20 years.

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The purpose of the International Food Night is for the students and community to get together to experience different cultural foods.

“Students get together to make food for the community from all across different countries,” said Rugletic. “The ones represented tonight are Poland, Ireland, Italy, France, America, South Korea, China, Japan, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.”

All proceeds from the event go back into the I.C.E. Club for future events.

I.C.E. Club students were all stationed at different “countries” across the cafeteria. With the customer line almost as long as the stations itself, the students worked hard and tirelessly. One in particular was I.C.E. Club President and Pittston Area senior Bryan David.

David, 17, joined the I.C.E. Club his junior year and became president of the group when a friend of his, who was president last year, asked if he wished to do it.

“My friend was president last year and I liked what the club did, bringing out positive viewpoints in various cultures,” said David. “She asked me if I would be interested in running the club this year, and I told her yes.”

According to David, club members make the food themselves and must research they country they select.

He said the research and food helps the students better understand the culture of that country.

David, along with his friends Chris Wells and Chris McGlynn, made food from Poland, saying they had to do some homework before getting started.

“Basically ,we figured out how that country makes it, or how it’s done typically in that country,” said David. “Then, we try to reproduce it as best we can. Like, for the pierogies, we actually went through the process of cutting out the circles of the dough, rolling the potatoes and the cheese. Those were homemade.”

Some students prepared their food beforehand, but fellow I.C.E. Club member and Pittston Area junior Anna McDermott and her friends at the Mexican station made their food on the spot.

“We got started a little early, so we’re a little ahead,” said McDermott, 16. “Hopefully, it should work out. We made a bunch of salsa, guacamole and chips as well.”

McDermott has been in the I.C.E. Club her entire high school career.

“I’ve been involved with it for the last three years,” said McDermott. “It’s been getting bigger and bigger every year. It’s a place where everybody can come; it’s open to the public and our whole school. We really got involved with it this year; a lot more groups have come to us and asked to be in it. It’s just a cultural experience for everyone; they go and get food from a different country. It’s a nice night for everybody to come together as a group.”

McDermott and her friends at the Mexican station sported sombreros and ponchos, saying they “try to make it fun for everybody.”

The International Food Night brought in the success the I.C.E. Club hoped for, and David said it was all a learning experience for both the club and those coming to enjoy the food.

“We’re trying to promote positive viewpoint on the various cultures that surround us everyday,” said David. “This is just one way we like to do that.”