This month, we’re excited to feature guest blogger and French teacher Madeline Murphy, who shares an inspiring Culture Fest activity she brought to life at her high school in Pennsylvania. Inspired by her 2024 summer trip to Senegal with Vive, Madeline designed a hands-on, cross-cultural project that sparked student creativity and community connection. Enjoy this glimpse into her classroom!
On March 7, 2025, the World Language Department in my school district planned an event we called “Culture Fest”. Our initial pitch was to make it carnival style, with different booths. Each booth would represent a different country, and have an activity to teach participants about the country’s culture. Additionally, we invited not only students to participate, but members of the community as well. This decision led to great community engagement, opening the opportunity for more people to participate than we had initially anticipated.
Part of the preparation involved making a batik-style sign for the welcome table when students arrived. Traditionally, a batik is a method of dyeing fabric. I got to experience this first hand during my trip to Sénégal with Vive l’experience. Using a piece of linen fabric and a pencil, they first trace the design into their batik. Then, using hot candle wax, they outline their pencil design. Then, the batik is dunked into dye, and everything is dyed except for the outlined design. The traditional way is a bit too risky in a school setting, so we went with a more kid-friendly route.
Rather than using dye and hot candle wax, my students and I substituted these materials with acrylic paint and gel glue. I did the initial design with the glue, which required several layers to be effective. If the glue layers are too thin, the white outline underneath may not show through. I wrote out with the glue “Culture Fest” in large bubble letters. Then, the students came up with designs to go inside the letters, each one to represent a different culture. These were not limited to just Francophone or Spanish-speaking countries, but representation from a variety of countries. Some letters had a henna design; some had cherry blossoms or tulips. The students even included baobab trees for one of the letters! The designs inside the letters were created with acrylic paint. We also painted the background red, blue, and yellow.
Once the paint is completely dry, then you have to warm the glue enough for it to peel off the linen. To do this, I used a large plastic storage container and an electric tea kettle. Once the water was boiling, I poured it into the container and then put the lid securely on the container. The hot water will then soften the glue. Because it is gel glue, it will have a slimy texture, so you or some students may want to wear gloves. I had my students sit around the container and help peel the glue off (you may get some complaints here, my students were not too thrilled about this step). Once this step is complete, you should see white underneath where the glue was. Finally, lay the batik out to dry.
This year was our first year doing this event, so we definitely had learning moments and issues to keep in mind for next year. We also hope to see even more community participation next year, as people will have already seen the event and know what to expect. I wore the pants I had made in Sénégal and they were a great conversation starter!
-Madeline Murphy
Feeling inspired? We hope Madeline’s project encourages you to bring your own Culture Fest activity—or another global celebration—to your classroom or community!
📸 Explore Senegalese fashion in this photo-rich article highlighting the vibrant styles and cultural meaning behind local clothing.
✈️ Interested in traveling with us? Learn more about our 2026 summer trips to Senegal designed for French educators.
🎥 Hear from Madeline in the short video below as she reflects on her experience in Senegalese markets and the fashion that inspired her students.