Dishman-McGinnis Elementary School students decorate their halls Thursday to celebrate cultural diversity night. Groups of students made displays highlighting different countries. 

During a typical school day, special education teacher Pauletha Butts might see students from Cuba, Ecuador, Somalia or Bosnia in the halls of Dishman-McGinnis Elementary School.

That diversity was on display Thursday night as students celebrated their cultural differences with a talent show highlighting African and Latin American music and dance.

“You’ve got to value how diverse we are culturally because you learn about new things and have new experiences,” Butts said while taking a break from working to coordinate the show in the school’s gym.

The show was just the main act during a night of cultural celebration at the school. Before families crowded onto bleachers in the gym to watch the show, they enjoyed a dinner of tacos, egg rolls, fortune cookies and African dishes in the school cafeteria.

School hallways took on the names of continents and featured displays made by students to highlight different countries.

Dishman-McGinnis Elementary is one of the district’s most diverse schools. In the 2016-17 school year, African-American and Hispanic students made up about 60 percent of the school’s 460 students, according to state data.

When it comes to teaching, Butts sees the school’s diversity as a blessing.

“It becomes more engaging when you can take what you know about other cultures and implement them into your classroom as a teacher to engage your students,” she said.