Bulgarian Heritage Club at Naperviile Cultural Center
Hope for Bulgarian-Americans Across DuPage, Kane and Will Counties
Saturday, June 4th, 2011- On another sweltering Chicago summer weekend, the newly established New Bulgarian School opened its doors to children and adults interested in learning or preserving, as the case may well be, the Bulgarian language and traditions more than a thousand years old. Among the visitors were concerned parents and grandparents who were worried their successors would forget their roots. Immigrants who had left Bulgaria in search of a brighter future for their children are often left in a heart-wrenching dilemma. Encourage their kids’ acclimation to the United States, and in the process their abandonment of the Bulgarian language and traditions, or vie for the obsolete values that they themselves have grown up with and further expand the chasm between them and their American peers. 

Navigating this treacherous path requires sacrifices and compromises, such as the no longer vital language and obscure traditions. However with the constant increase of immigrants and the new mindset to celebrate and embrace what is unique, Bulgarians are rediscovering their national pride and championing their culture. More of them are now yearning to hear their children speaking and reading Bulgarian as well as honoring practices that have brought many laughs and smiles to previous generations. As a result, Bulgarian schools have begun popping up across the country. 

The founders of New Bulgarian School, Maria Burggraf and Maria Hristov, are hoping to unite the Bulgarian community in DuPage, Will and Kane and help preserve the culture they grew up in. The cornerstone of their mission is the school that will educate children in the Bulgarian language and traditions. The school opened with different activities for their future students according to age and an emotion and heartfelt address by Mrs Hristov to the present adults. Mrs Burggraff relayed the technical information- how often the school would meet, the age divisions of the students and the purpose of the school. The kids made small Bulgarian flags that were later waved  enthusiastically in their small hands, decorated sign with the school’s name and looked through colorful Bulgarian books. “The name’s temporary. We’ll let the students decide on one during the school year” Mrs Hristov helpfully explained regarding their somewhat dubious moniker New Bulgarian School. The school plans to begin its first year on September 17th, the traditional commencement date for schools in Bulgaria. The meeting was alive with their joyful shrieks and even the adults caught their infectious smiles. The refreshments included a traditional Bulgarian bread called pogacha. Many departed the gathering with a renewed vigor for their culture and heightened hope for its preservation among future generations. 

Evelyn Christopher

Bulgarian Heritage Club at Naperville Cultural Center presented the information about creating a new Bulgarian school at the Forum of the Bulgarian Schools in US and Europe on April 30th in Chicago. The forum was held at Oakten Community College and was supported by the Embassy of Bulgaria in Washington, DC, Consulate General of Bulgaria in Chicago and the Cook County Administration. Special guests from Bulgaria were Sergei Ignatov - Minister of Education and Science and Georgi Pirinski - Deputy Chairman of the 41th National Assembly of Bulgaria. There were representatives from 15 Bulgarian schools from US and Europe as well as 5 cultural and religious organizations. The participants exchanged their experience in establishing foreign language schools abroad and disccussed the importance of developing a new educational program and textbooks for the needs of the Bulgarian schools abroad. Different projects and children’s clubs were presented.

Naperville Cultural Center is one of the few American organizations supporting multicultural activities and clubs in Chicagoland area. Bulgarian Heritage Club and School is the newest member of NCC family. There are 7 Bulgarian schools in Northen Chicago sububrs. Being furthest from Chicago, the Bulgarian Heritage club, hopes to attract children and adults with Bulgarian origin from Naperville, Lisle, Aurora, Oswego, Joliet and Plainfield. Bulgarian Heritage Club’s mission is to preserve and promote the spirit of  Bulgarian heritage, to foster the understanding of Bulgarian customs and culture, and to establish traditions and become part of the community through events as the  annual Bulgarian Family Fiesta, Bulgarian Language School, Bulgarian History Club, Art and Music Shows, Bulgarian Movie Night and many more.

Week of the Young Child is a national awareness week to call attention to the importance of quality early child care and education. The final event - a resourse fair - was held at Fred Rodgers Community Center in Aurora, IL. The free vent was orginized and sponsored by Children First and had the support of DuPage Children’s Museum, Waubonsee Community College, Aurora University, Fox Valey United Way, One Hope, Illinois Action For Children and ACCA. Global Ambassadors Program at Naperville Cultural Center presented the summer classes offered at Shining Stars, Aurora, as well as art, cultural and language classes offered at North Central College and Naperville Art League. Our volunteers helped the kids to make a special bracelet – martenitza, decorate a star badge, draw a picture and put puzzles together.

Some of the other activites for the children were storytelling, dancing, making healthy snacks, planting gardens in small spaces and face painting. The traveling exhibit from DuPage Children’s Museum, the karate performance and the Mexican dance group made the event a great celebration of early childhood education. Each child left the event with a bag full with presents – a book, a stuffed animal, a flower pot, a math kit, a coloring book and crayons.

Spectacular dancing performances, delicious food, and great people is what the International Festival at North Central College in Naperville was all about. North Central College hosts a wonderful event every year to celebrate the diversity in cultures. Eighteen superb organizations gathered all in one place for a great event. Mayor George Pradel was also there to enjoy the International Festival as well as many people of all ages. There was everything from Irish dancing, Karate to Indian dancing performances. Many people stopped by and were very interested in the fantastic Naperville Cultural Center. They offer brilliant classes with great variety. There is Japanese I/II which is great if you’re looking for a beginner to intermediate course that is meant to ease the learning of basic Japanese.  If you are looking for a language class that is for children there are Russian classes offered at the Naperville Cultural Center. Russian for two to three year olds “Tiny Tots” and “The Little Ones” for three to five your olds is offered as well as a Russian Prep Class for five and one half to seven year olds.  If you are interested in drawing or painting the Naperville Cultural Center has a Comic & Drawing Workshop and an Abstract Painting Workshop. All these classes are held at North Central College Community Education and are at a great affordable price. The latest at the NCC is The Global Ambassadors Program which is presenting “A Cultural Journey Around The world.” There is an introduction meeting on Tuesday March 1st   from 6:30 to 8:30pm and then classes proceed every 1st Tuesday beginning April 5th  with six main modules and three special sessions! There will be many countries and cultures that are presented for example Japan, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Guatemala, Argentina, Bulgaria and many other great counties. You will learn interesting facts, view photos, get to learn a bit of the geography, history, art, music, cousin and more! For more information about these classes please call 630-404-7774 or register online at northcentralcollege.edu/x4464.xml or at napervilleparks.org. 

By Rali Valkanova