YATESVILLE — Greater Pittston residents will be given a tour of around the world without having to leave the high school cafeteria.
The Pittston Area High School International Cultural Experience Club, or I.C.E. Club, will hold its annual International Food Night on Thursday, Nov. 19.
The purpose of the event is for students and community residents to get together to experience different cultural foods such as Mexican, Chinese, Italian and more.
All proceeds from the event go back into the I.C.E. Club for future club-related activities.
The I.C.E. Club has about 40 members and is a way for them all to experience and share their own different cultural backgrounds, said club moderator Nicole Rugletic. The International Food Night is another way for them to share with other club members and the public.
Preparations for the event is done by the students, who all divide into groups of three to represent a country and cook samples of that country’s cuisine.
I.C.E. Club Vice President and senior student Loran Garnette, 17, said preparations for the event has its challenges.
“Watching allergies I feel is a big thing,” she said. “There are so many allergies out there so we have to make out a list and make sure everyone can try what they want to try without having a reaction.”
Rugeltic said there will be index cards describing the food ingredients, so those with allergies can avoid that food.
Students are also responsible for setting up the event, including doing much of the heavy lifting in moving tables and chairs. They also gather the ingredients and cook the food themselves.
“I feel like, for me, this is my project,” said I.C.E Club President and senior student Anna McDermott. “This is my project and I want to do it.”
Because the food needs to be as fresh as possible for the International Food Night, the students typically don’t start making it until the night before or the day of, which they said can be stressful.
“We all kind of stick to our groups, though,” said Garnette. “I feel like as our little groups we work well together and then we just bring it all together at the school.”
Rugletic said last year’s event had 60 attendees and it was the most people they had during her tenure as I.C.E. Club Moderator, now going into her fourth year.
She said she hopes for as big a crowd this year, if not more.
“From a moderator’s perspective just seeing not only the kids enjoy it, but how many adults come out and how much the public wants to be involved,” said Rugletic. “My first year we had a big turnout, my second year was so-so but last year it exploded. It was the biggest we had, at least in my experience.”
“We had lines out the door,” said McDermott.
With the event arriving soon, the students will be hard at work getting the night ready, but they also look forward to enjoying the International Food Night.
“The food is the best part,” said McDermott. “I like to eat.”
