Released on = November 7, 2006, 1:35 pm

Press Release Author = Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = The Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay celebrated Diwali,
the Indian Festival of Lights, on October 19th. Students, teachers and parents
actively participated and enjoyed the festival while learning about the culture and
history of Diwali, the most popular of the Indian festivals.

Press Release Body = On October 19th, the Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay
celebrated Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights. Students, teachers and parents
had a great time participating in the celebration while learning more about Diwali,
the most popular of the Indian festivals.

The event, organized by parents, was a great success and highlighted many of the
historic arts, stories and customs of the holiday. Many performers, parents,
students and faculty wore traditional Indian dress, dotting the crowd with bright
colors and beautiful jewelry. Also on display were Rangoli, the art of drawing
intricate designs on the grounds and courtyards of Indian homes, shops and temples.
Delphi Academy's walls and grounds were decorated with bright designs by parents.
The drawings are often colored in with flowers, chalk or colored sand. Delphi
parents dyed rock salt with bright colors and carefully filled in the designs,
creating a sparkling display that everyone admired.

The celebration opened with a traditional song performed by a student, followed by
an essay about Diwali that another student wrote and read aloud. The fourth and
fifth grade class then presented a lively play with beautiful costumes and lots of
action. It told a traditional story that had everyone laughing as the hero defeated
the enemy with the help of an army of monkeys.

After the first performances, the students exchanged gifts, which is a Diwali
custom. Each class had prepared a small gift to give to the other students. These
handmade treasures included tea lights in ceramic cups, colorful paper boxes filled
with nuts and trail mix, bracelets with tiny bells, decorated bags with fruit or a
chocolate gold coin for luck inside, and musical sticks that the children were
taught how to play with a friend.

The Diwali celebration closed with a performance of young girls dancing to a popular
Indian song. The dance was choreographed by one of the parents, who also taught the
children the dance and helped them to rehearse. After performing it one time, they
danced a second time and encouraged other students to come up and dance along with
them.

Everyone who attended learned a lot about this aspect of Indian culture while having
fun. The great success of this event can be attributed to the strong parental
involvement and multi-cultural support enjoyed by the Delphi Academy of San
Francisco Bay.

Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay is an independent, coeducational and
non-sectarian day school offering regular school year and summer programs for
kindergarten through eighth grade students. It is licensed to use Applied
Scholastics(TM) educational services
(http://www.AppliedScholastics.Org).

Company: Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay

Web Site Address: http://www.Delphi-SFB.Org

Contact Information:
Maria Agrillo
Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay
890 Pomeroy Ave # 201
Santa Clara, Ca 95051
408-260-2300
mariaa1@delphi-sfb.org

Category: Education/ K-8

Web Site = http://Delphi-sfb.org

Contact Details = Maria Agrillo
Delphi Academy of San Francisco Bay
890 Pomeroy Ave # 201
Santa Clara, Ca 95051
408-260-2300
mariaa1@delphi-sfb.org