WOODLAND PARK, Neb. -- Woodland Park Elementary School students from kindergarten to fourth grade learned about multiple cultures in this year's multicultural festival. 

They learned about Mexico, Africa, Ireland and Native American cultures. 

Mary O'Boyle taught the students about Ireland with a little singing, along with learning greetings and symbols. 

O'Boyle taught the students about her Irish heritage and native language. She said she loves to share the beauty and diversity.

"You know, we all bring different things to the table," said Boyle. "We may come from different parts of the world, but we are all human beings. We all have the same hopes, desires and fears, and many similar traditions."

She said she also loves to share her native music with the kids. 

"This is the first time since 1999 that I have shared with the kids at Woodland Park," said O'Boyle. "I did an assembly in January of 1999, and I am so happy to have been invited back. It’s been a long time, but it’s good to be back."

Fourth-grade teacher, Kris Anderson, said the festival has been done for at least the last 24 years that she has been teaching. They divide up the students kindergarten through second grade and third through fourth grade, with speakers designated to the grade groups. 

The children also got to watch the Native American Hoop Dance which took Jeffrie Mesteth about eight years to learn. Mesteth has been learning the hoop dance since he was 15. He said learning the hoop dance takes many years to practice and learn. 

“This dance is a very sacred dance," said Mesteth. "It is a healing dance and we use it in times of when someone needs healing or needs a prayer to uplift their spirits and to make them feel good again."

It takes him a couple of years to fully learn a routine and get the moves in order. 

"This is an experience I would love to do again," said Mesteth. "Teaching the young generation about my culture and about how we do things really gives a good warming feeling that I am spreading the message to other cultures out there."

Students also got to learn about the African game, Mancala, how to make Mexican corn tortillas from scratch, the importance of a quinceañera, and many other traditions of these cultures. 

Many of the speakers said that they enjoyed the children asking questions and that they were engaged in learning the cultures. 

After the festival, the children got to start their winter break.