Homer’s Elementary Odyssey

In show and tell, it’s not unusual for schoolchildren to bring their cats, dogs and pet hamsters.

However, it’s not every day that a llama, an animal native to South America, drops by for a visit.

More than 500 students from kindergarten through fifth grade, made a new friend and learned about Peruvian culture at the same time.

Thursday morning, Homer the Llama was the main feature in an exhibit about Peru at Dearborn Street Elementary School in Northridge.

The 5-year-old animal, lent by an animal farm in Reseda, helped celebrate the opening of the school’s new multicultural display center.

“We wanted something exciting and important to show kids about different world cultures,� said Alice Leon, Dearborn’s multicultural committee chairwoman.

“Since our first exhibit is about the country of Peru, bringing Homer was perfect.�

According to school officials, children of more than 20 nationalities attend Dearborn.

Leon and her husband, Raul, a native of Peru, were instrumental in setting up the school’s multicultural committee and display center.

They hope to showcase a different country each month.

Outside, Homer stood patiently with his handler as groups of students and teachers lined up to pet him, listen to Andean music and eat homemade Peruvian cookies.

Others peered into glass cases containing colorful native clothing as well as plates, musical instruments and wall hangings called arpilleras.

Leon said she feels that creating exhibits such as Dearborn’s is important to children’s development. “The earlier one learns about other cultures, the easier it is for the child to accept people different from himself,� Leon said.