There is no better time to teach the value of cultural diversity and respect than when children are young, says teacher Dana Palmieri of the District 20 Pre-K site at Bay 11th Street in Brooklyn. More than 300 students at the Bensonhurst center had fun learning that lesson in a multicultural celebration on Oct. 26, when every class explored a different country through food, drink, music, dance, flags and surprises. “It’s like a field trip that comes to you,” said Palmieri, who helped organize the event. She learned how to do the samba along with her students, who performed in costumes from Brazil’s Carnaval, the traditional period of fun and feasting before Lent. Teacher Sharon Rogundo and her class celebrated the Philippines, drawing the national flower and bird, trying new foods and dancing to music. But the hands-down favorite part of her class’s celebration was a volcano, which the students made out of clay. “Each child participated, building the land with green clay and the volcano with orange and yellow clay. I added a paper towel roll in the middle and made it erupt with baking soda and vinegar,” Rogundo said. “They loved it!” Weeks later, students are still talking about the volcano. “I’m trying to talk about winter and how unique each snowflake is,” said Rogundo, “and my students say, ‘You know a volcano is unique, are we going to build another one?’” There was great parent engagement at the festival, with moms and dads bringing in treats from their own cultures to share. The main lesson of the day, Palmieri said, was the importance of celebrating diversity and giving thanks for it. “If you learn nothing else from my class, we teach children respect,” she said. “It’s harder to teach when they’re older. Right now it’s effortless.”