Walking into the auditorium during a rehearsal, it might take a while to find ESOL teacher and Heritage Night coordinator Georgiana Tomisato.

After scanning all the empty seats under dim lighting, your eyes finally land center stage, to where Tomisato is twisting her hands and swinging her hip, demonstrating the correct way to execute a dance move to a performer.

She is preparing for Heritage Night, which will be on March 11 this year. “It’s a cultural show of Annandale High School students showing their dance or singing or some aspect of their culture,” Tomisato said.

Tomisato began coordinating Heritage Night three years ago, but the event was created eight years ago by former ESOL teacher Kazue Watlington. The students start preparing in December, but for Tomisato, this is an all year long job.

“This is going to sound crazy, but I prepare all year long. I go to as many performances that are happening throughout the school and throughout all the departments looking for talent. I planned field trips for students to go around and perform. I start asking students if they are interested beginning in September,” Tomisato said.

Currently there are 21 groups signed up to perform, but things could easily change.

“Some of them still…have to try out again, so we might cut one or two,” Tomisato said. Like many of the activities and clubs here at AHS, Heritage Night has been affected by the recent winter storm. “The students haven’t had the chance to be on stage because they couldn’t get together…they were all over [and] they couldn’t get to somebdys house or anything, so its really put a lot of pressure on them to try and get their acts ready. Its made it really difficult,” Tomisato said.

Even with these setbacks, Heritage Night continues to be an example of cultural unity, as well as support.

“This year is a litte different because we’re trying to do a fundraiser for Haiti, so a dollar of every ticket goes to Haiti, and we’ll probably donate a little more on top of that, depending on where we are after we know how much money we made and spent. I think its really nice for the particular students that are participating, for them to be able to help out in Haiti. I think it means a lot,” Tomisato said.

Throughout all the hard work, long hours, and months of preparation, it is her love of the arts that not only keeps her wanting to do this year after year, but helps to inspire her performers.

“I really love the performing arts and I especially love different cultures, so for me to be able to put this show on, its really exciting and I love working with all the different groups. I’ve been doing stuff like this since I started in high school putting people on stage and this is really exciting for me, I enjoy it,” Tomisato said.