History of Rock Around the World

Since its inception in 2006, the goal of the Rock Around the World dance event and fundraiser has remained the same––to provide crucial funding to programs that serve Portland’s multilingual and multicultural students. In 2024, with the percentage of Portland students with first languages other than English fast approaching 40%, that goal remains central to the Portland Public Schools’ mission of fostering equity and belonging. 

With the support of the community, Rock Around the World has been able to raise thousands of dollars each year to fund enrichment and college readiness opportunities for students. In 2012 alone, more than fourteen thousand dollars were raised to fund a 4-week summer language intensive for English language learners. A year later, in 2013, the Portland Press Herald featured Rock Around the World in their Society Notebook article. 

I was looking for a fundraising activity that the multilingual parents themselves can share their culture, food, music, and dancing. At this event, we exchange roles. We are the learners and they are the teachers.

Grace Valenzuela
Executive Director of Communications and Community Partnerships