3rd Annual Passport To The World Lands At Superior Middle School
SUPERIOR, WI - The bags are packed. Tray tables secured. And we have lift off!
On April 8, 2026, the 3rd Annual Passport to the World landed at Superior Middle School, and the community showed out. With 12 cultures and 15 exhibit tables in the community events hallway, there was something for everyone to experience. This two-hour event and all its activities were completely free and open to the greater Superior community.
“I hope that every participant leaves having learned something that changes their view of the world,” said LeAnn Egnash, Passport to the World Organizer and Superior High School Family Engagement Coordinator. “Whether it’s sampling a new flavor, learning a tradition they’d never heard of, or simply locating a new country on the map, that spark of curiosity is a victory. If we can provide just one glimmer of the wider world and a better understanding of the people in it, we have succeeded.”
Passport to the World included a free dinner, tasting samples, displays, and showcases from Finland, Greece, China, Japan, and Mexico, Hmong, Native Cultures, and more. The Superior Indian Education program included a fry bread-making demonstration and sampling, along with activities, programming, and drumming education. It also included local exhibits from the Douglas County Historical Society, the World of Accordion Museum, the Superior Public Library, and UW-Superior also hosted its study abroad program and Peace Corps.
Superior teachers and staff joined us this year to share their personal travel experiences, as well as some student travel programs they participated in. Additionally, Lauralloons entertained our Spartans with balloon art, henna tattoos, a photo booth with Sounds Unlimited, line dancing lessons with Superior Line Dancing, and Locally Laid Eggs hosted a space where people could hug a hen.
Participants entered the building through the Community Events doors and "checked in," receiving a free passport to stamp as they "travel." All guests were encouraged to enter our drawings for family date-night gift packages.
“Superior Middle School’s Passport to the World began in the spring of 2024,” said Aaron Lieberz. “We were celebrating the building’s 20th anniversary and realized the response to the past events was overwhelming! Northern Lights Elementary hosted the event for 2 years, and we felt it was time to expand it. SMS was better suited to accommodate. LeAnn Egnash and Maryann Bonneville (former 8th-grade school counselor and current UWS Counselor) were highly influential. They really helped make this event even more appealing to our community.”
On the Superior Middle School stage, the Superior Middle School Chamber Orchestra, Superior Line Dancing, Indian Education Drumming Demo, Blue Grass Band, and the Accordion Museum entertained our Spartans.
The Superior Middle School Library hosted several activities, including a recap of the Battle of the Books program, free book giveaways, and a drawing for a gift card to Foxes and Fireflies Bookstore.
“I feel it is important to have this particular event because we can come together to celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions that make our community so vibrant,” said Amanda Lindquist, SMS Instructional Coach and Passport to the World Organizer. “This provides a unique space where we can share our personal histories, lived experiences, and travels. By doing so, we don't just host an event, we broaden our global perspectives and strengthen the ties that bind us as neighbors.”
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