On Monday, January 27, 2020, the Midlothian High School Library hosted a Greek Symposium for World History I students. Social Studies teacher Mrs. Catherine Canty sheds light on the event, commenting, “A symposium is a gathering of people in ancient Greek culture, during which they eat contemporary foods, such as olives and pita bread.” At this event, freshmen received the opportunity to sample a palette of obscure foods, including hummus, olive oil, tzatziki, and whole olives. Freshman participant Ava Gay thoroughly enjoyed the enlightenment she experienced regarding Greek culture, exclaiming, “The symposium opened my eyes to the parts of Greek culture that we don’t learn in class.”

Head Librarian Mrs. Heather Murfee hosted the event, sharing, “We wanted to have a fun, interactive activity to introduce students to something new, hopefully something they find interesting.” Overall, reception of the symposium was positive, as several students had never had olives before, and they were excited for the opportunity to try something new. The librarians and the Social Studies department provided a fun, innovative way for students to learn about Greek culture, building a greater level of intrigue in the current curriculum to motivate students through the remainder of the unit. The symposium activity formed as a joint venture between the library and the Social Studies department illustrates the impact a simple activity can have on students’ learning experience.