Students from Bennett Elementary School gathered in front of laptops and projection screens shortly after 9 a.m. on March 7 for a long-awaited video call.
It was just after 7 p.m. on the other side of the call – and the other side of the world – at Mwebaza Annex School in Uganda. Delighted to see each other’s faces after months of anticipation, the friends joined in celebrating Mwebaza (pronounced mWHAY-bah-zah) Day – a time to share performances, ask questions, and bond across time zones.
Bennett first celebrated this annual tradition in 2023. As an International Baccalaureate school, Principal Wendy Woodland said it's important for Bennett students to learn about other cultures and experiences. Mwebaza Day provides a unique opportunity to learn directly from students in Africa about their point of view.
“As an IB school, we talk a lot about international mindedness. It’s good to talk to people and connect,” Woodland said.
Fifth graders in the Bennett’s Student Leadership group have been learning about their friends overseas for months and took turns asking Mwebaza students questions about their culture, food, and interests. Mwebaza students also had questions for Bennett students, ranging from inquiries about their favorite foods to asking where they would like to visit if they came to Uganda.
The hourlong call also included a performance by Bennett’s fourth- and fifth-grade choir, several choregraphed dances from Mwebaza students, and a closing toast, with students hoisting paper cups filled with passion fruit juice.
Bennett is one of 10 Colorado schools that partner with nonprofit organization The Mwebaza Foundation. Hillari Hansen, school development director for The Mwebaza Foundation, said Mwebaza Day helps students reach across borders and build understanding.
“It’s about real-world connections and realizing we can have a partnership and a friendship across continents,” Hansen said. “They talk to each other and realize they have similar lives in a lot of ways.”