FWPS Celebrates National Arab American Heritage Month

April marks Arab American Heritage Month, a time for our district and schools to celebrate the rich heritage and culture of Arab Americans and honor their significant contributions to society.

According to the Arab American Institute, approximately 3.7 million Americans have Arab ancestry, with roots tracing back to 22 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and more.

These diverse cultures are an integral part of what makes our district one of the most diverse in the state — a strength we proudly embrace, incorporating it into the fabric of our schools and the education of our students.

Throughout April we look forward to sharing how our schools are celebrating Arab American Heritage with assemblies, art projects, musical performances and more. We want to share these experiences with the entire district, so be sure to email photos to socialmedia@fwps.org.

View additional recognitions in the FWPS Cultural & Religious Calendar here: www.fwps.org/culturalcalendar

A Delicious Lesson: Enterprise Scholars Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month with a Hand-On Hummus Lesson

In celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month, Mr. Jones’s 5th grade class at Enterprise Elementary explored Arab culture through traditional cuisine. With the guidance of paraeducator Tammy Basmeh the class learned how to make hummus. Rather than simply listing the ingredients—blended chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, salt, and spices—Ms. Basmeh enriched the lesson by explaining the Arabic pronunciation of "hummus" and sharing how it’s commonly eaten for breakfast throughout Arab cultures.

Ms. Basmeh reflected on the experience, saying, “It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect and learn from each other. Hummus is a cultural dish, and I’m teaching them about its origins, how it began, and how it is traditionally enjoyed.”

The students were fully engaged, helping in the process of mixing and blending the ingredients, and sharing the hummus and chips with the entire class. Students served them in a bowl, bringing them to each student at the tables. Enough was made for everybody who wanted to try it, as well as anyone lucky enough to visit the classroom during the activity.

Mr. Jones expressed his excitement about the activity: “I love bringing my students’ cultures into the classroom and incorporating them into our lessons. We used math to measure the recipe, we explored the cultural background and history of the dish, and most importantly, gave students the chance to share their heritage and take pride in their traditions.”

Celebrating National Arab American Heritage Month is a meaningful time throughout Federal Way Public School—one that reflects the district’s commitment to honoring diversity and embracing the rich cultural backgrounds of our students. It is a point of pride for the entire school community to create spaces where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to share their stories and heritage.