Cultural Arts Day celebrated at Encinal Elementary

Encinal Elementary School in Atherton held their  annual Cultural Arts Day celebration on Thursday, Feb. 27th.  Conceived six years ago, the festival has explored the history and culture of Spain, Mexico, the Polynesian Islands, Uganda and China to date.

This year, the entire student body of 780 students learned about India.  The day kicked off with an introductory video, followed by a cricket demonstration and a visit to an on-site museum filled with art and artifacts from India.  During lunch, students had a chance to sample several Indian foods, practice yoga or created their own Rangoli Art in the playground. Professional sitar and tabla players Aharon Wheels Bolsta and Joanna Mack also performed.

Sharon Burns, Principal of Encinal Elementary, remarked "Cultural Arts Day is a beloved institution at Encinal. Our students and staff look forward to this celebration every year with great anticipation.  It is a wonderful opportunity to explore, and relate to, the culture of another country."  

One of the many highlights of the day was a Classical dance performance by the Pushpanjali Dance Academy of Sunnyvale, followed by a Bollywood dance headlined by Lee Pazmino. Mr. Pazmino has toured with Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera, and is also a teacher at the Menlo Park Academy of Dance. He taught students some Bollywood moves after his group's performance.

Co-chair Diane McGrath said ""Our leadership team, comprised of Bita Arabian, Ami Bhow, Samira Jones and myself,  has been working since last Spring to organize an amazing day that will explore the fascinating culture of India.  From dance to art, music to food sampling, there is something for everyone.  Our hope is that the students will come away with insights into the Indian way of life, and that the day will spark an interest in continuing to explore other cultures."

In the classroom, parent volunteers presented a History and Culture lesson, read a story about India, and helped students complete an elephant art project that had been personalized with the student's name written in Hindi.  

Cultural Arts Day is exclusively for the Encinal student body, staff and parent volunteers.  Over 100 volunteers helped make the day a success.