World drumming students performed for Cargill employees at Burnes Park May 24, according to world drumming teacher Steve Schmitz.

“40 to 50 Cargill Employees came over and enjoyed Park’s 40 World Drummers and pizza,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz said the event engaged members of the greater Twin Cities community, while emphasizing diversity.

“(The performance) was part of a team-building event that also celebrated diversity for the Cargill Team,” Schmitz said. “We played music from Liberia, Ghana, Ireland, Puerto Rico and America.”

Sophomore world drumming student Carly Livingston said the field trip helped to demonstrate students’ knowledge and talent.

“My favorite part was when we got to teach the employees of Cargill how to drum,” Livingston said. “I think it made the world drumming students realize how much our skills have improved since the beginning of the semester.”

According to Schmitz, the event was scheduled to provide world drumming students with additional performances after a dearth of in-school options.

“This opportunity was set up since the drummers did not get to perform at the Multicultural Show this year as past classes have done,” Schmitz said.

Livingston said performing away from the high school was an added bonus with the potential to benefit future world drumming students.

“Performing for Cargill was an exciting experience because usually world drumming performs for people we know, like the students of Park, but this time we had an audience that wasn’t familiar to us,” Livingston said. “I hope they can make playing at Cargill a tradition for years to come.”