HCPSS Hosts Inaugural Countywide Cultural Showcase

April 20th, 2026

A student serving food to a parent at the Cultural Showcase.

Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) hosted its first Cultural Showcase last month at Reservoir High School (RHS). Organized by the Howard County Student Committee for Equity (HCSCE), the event featured food, performances, and interactive booths prepared by middle and high school students from across the county, aiming to celebrate cultural diversity and connect students from across the county in an inclusive way.

HCPSS students and HCSCE co-Presidents Arley Rojas and Sakshi Tirodkar, who led the Cultural Showcase planning committee, say the event achieved their goal of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in a meaningful way.

“We were so happy with the final results,” Rojas notes. “It was so rewarding hearing from students who attended our event that this is something they would like to attend more often, which proved that cultural events can truly bring an entire community together to celebrate the diversity our county has built over the decades.”

“The event was a powerful reflection of student leadership, vision, and commitment to fostering inclusion across our school system,” adds Dr. Shereé M. Tilley-Whitaker, HCPSS coordinator of Student Access and Achievement and a staff sponsor of HCSCE. “The cultural performances, food booths, and interactive activities created an engaging and welcoming environment that truly celebrated the richness and diversity of our Howard County community. The experience strengthened relationships, elevated student voice, and modeled what it means to build community through culture.”

A student playing a game with a top.

Established in 2020, the Howard County Student Committee for Equity is a student-led committee whose mission is to represent students of color in Howard County and to uplift and promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the school district. The group is composed of high school students from across the county, with support from HCPSS Central Office staff.

Additional photos from the 2026 Cultural Showcase are available on the HCPSS Flickr site.