| ||
By TIM ZATZARINY Jr.
Courier-Post Staff
Being biracial hasn't been a burden for Rachael Paynter, a Deptford High School senior.
Instead, it has helped her show people that cultural differences shouldn't act as a barrier.
"A lot of my friends have said they no longer have certain prejudices because once they get to know me, they say their stereotypes (about interracial relationships) are gone," said Paynter, 17, whose mother is white and father is black.
Paynter is president of the school's Rotary Interact Club, which works on projects uniting students with senior citizens and the disabled. The club also promotes cultural diversity by holding school events such as its annual " International Night," featuring food, music and dance from other countries.
School officials recognize the growing number of minorities in the district, and encourage clubs such as Interact and ERASE (End Racism and Sexism Everywhere), of which Paynter also is president.
"I think a lot of problems come from not understanding each other's cultures," said David Moyer, the district's superintendent. "Kids stereotype because they see things on television and they prejudge.
Simply teaching cultural awareness isn't enough, Moyer said.
"You have to have the opportunity to be involved in clubs and after school activities," Moyer said. "That really breaks down barriers."
The increase in minority students mirrors the township's population growth.
The black population increased 35 percent from 1990 to 2000, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. The number of Hispanic and Latino residents in the township jumped 63 percent. The Asian and Chinese populations, while still relatively small, also grew.
Paynter said she's noticed more cultures represented among the faces she passes in the hallways.
On a recent Friday, Paynter stopped outside the school library to check out a table covered with a an international buffet including Polish kielbasa, Greek pastries and spicy lentils from India. Each year, the school holds Ethnic Foods Day, during which students and teachers can sample delicacies from other countries, then take the recipes home with them.
Despite the push for awareness, Paynter said some old attitudes linger.
Each year, she and other members of the Interact Club attend a student summit that includes high schools from throughout Gloucester County. During the open discussion period, the same topic invariably comes up: at many schools, including hers, the students segregate themselves by race in the lunchroom, Paynter said.
"They say, `we don't do it on purpose, but we go to our table and they go to theirs, and who am I to impose?' '' Paynter said.
In Deptford's schools, students are encouraged early on to celebrate their differences, Moyer said. Elementary schools hold cultural diversity nights similar to the one at the high school, and through pen-pal programs, younger students are paired with their counterparts in other countries.
Cultural awareness has a different meaning for Geraldine Bauwin, 18, an exchange student from Louvain la Neuve, Belgium. Bauwin is spending the year at the high school, studying English and learning about life in America. In the meantime, she is teaching her classmates about Belgium, which most know little about, she said.
One of the questions she gets asked most often is, "if we have McDonald's in my country," she said. (The answer is yes.)
Bauwin speaks French, Dutch and English and her classmates often ask her for translations of American words.
Joining the school's tennis and swim teams made it easier for her to make friends, she said.
And she discovered that her classmates are a lot like the ones she had in Belgium.
"I didn't get a culture shock when I got here," Bauwin said. "I don't really see anything different."
| Deptford Asian Indian 1990: 47 2000: 114 Change: +142.55% Source: U.S. Census Bureau Deptford |
Today and Tomorrow stories:
- Township becomes community of choice for senior citizens
Since 1990, the township's senior citizen population has been it's fastest growing segment, according to U.S. Census data comparing the population by age. Seniors say they're drawn to Deptford for it's nearness to Philadelphia, good shopping and easy access to major highways, such as the New Jersey Turnpike, the Atlantic City Expressway and Interstate 295. - District adjusts to middle school squeeze
Responding to a big spurt in the number of 10 to 14-year-olds, township school officials have found more space within the walls of 26-year-old Monongahela Middle School. - Programs enhanced for pre-k
Deptford, the county's third largest school district, is making plenty of room for its youngest students although they represent only a small sliver of the entire township population. - Interact promotes cultural harmony
Being biracial hasn't been a burden for Rachael Paynter, a Deptford High School senior. - Some churches grow along with Deptford
Members of two of the township's largest predominately black churches are envisioning growing congregations and expanding facilities in the near future. - Deptford: Profile
Employment statistics; Population; Map