By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

LIBERTY TWP. - A new wall will be put up along Lakota East High School's Main Street today. But instead of separating rooms or people, this wall ties together the contributions of many people with differing abilities, nationalities, skin colors, genders and languages. The Wall of Tolerance is the work of social studies students who told the stories of groups or individuals who faced prejudice during their struggles for justice and equality.

It is part of a weeklong multicultural celebration that begins today. Besides telling stories on the wall, several students worked with English teacher Darren McGarvey to produce a 20-minute video, "Faces of Diversity," that will be shown during fifth-period classes Thursday.

In the video, students tell their stories - of intolerance, of their family's journey to America, of experiences they have faced.

Senior Morrigan O'Brien tells the story of her great-grandparents' decision to come to America from Ireland in the 1860s.

"My grandfather's father came to America because he wanted a better life. He came on a cattle ship and went to Delaware, Ohio (north of Columbus), and became a farmer. He faced hostility at first," O'Brien said.

"The most surprising things came from the ESL (English as a Second Language) class," McGarvey said.

"It really hit home how they don't feel a part of things because of the language barrier. The video is to give everyone a chance to see some honest expressions of diversity here."

Of Lakota East's 1,629 students, only 210 are nonwhite. There are 73 African-Americans, 81 Asians, 39 Hispanics and 17 multiracial students.

Through narration and music, a 50-minute multimedia presentation, "One Song, America," chronicles the musical heritage through live Celtic music, ragtime, gospel, Appalachian folk, Dixieland, swing, rock and 1960s folk guitar.

Two hundred students from Lakota East, West and Freshman high schools worked on the piece, which will be presented during two student assemblies Tuesday and for the community at 7 p.m. Thursday in the school's theater.

During lunch Wednesday, students will be grouped at tables in the cafeteria based on their birth dates so that students mix with those they may never talk to, said music teacher April Nelson, who was on the planning committee and worked with Geary Randall on "One Song, America."

During the change of class each day, students will hear music from different cultures over the public address system. Immediately after school today, the school's multicultural club is sponsoring a Taste of the World, which features samples of foods. At 7:15 p.m. Friday, the Future Educators of America are offering the movie Remember The Titans.

E-mail suek@infi.net