Learning looked like a celebration at Bethlehem Central Middle School on Thursday, Nov. 5, as Bethlehem Central High School students brought the sights, sounds and flavors of Diwali to younger students.
The student-led presentation gave students in grades 6–8 an opportunity to learn about the history, traditions and significance of Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by more than a billion people around the world. To set the festive mood, the high school students decorated the BCMS cafeteria with battery-operated candles, shared information about the holiday and encouraged questions and conversation. They also served hundreds of portions of gulab jamun, a popular Indian dessert made of fried dough balls soaked in a sweet syrup flavored with cardamom and rose water.
The event was the result of an idea developed by BCHS seniors Arnav Sharma and Ananda Bodduluri, who wanted to share their culture with younger students and help build understanding of traditions celebrated by families in the school community.
The idea began when Sharma reached out to Superintendent Jody Monroe during his sophomore year. That conversation led to a connection with Allan Gadsden, the district’s coordinator for Inclusive Practices and School Climate. With support from Gadsden and BCHS Assistant Principal Kimberly Sparkman, the students began developing a plan to introduce Diwali to the broader school community.
“We started meeting around March to plan a presentation for the district’s Equity Committee. We presented to administrators from schools across the district and received so much support from staff members,” said Sharma. “That’s when we started thinking about how we could create something for all the schools.”
As the idea grew, building administrators, including Dr. Klugman, helped the students expand their plans beyond the high school. The group envisioned age-appropriate activities for students at every level, including a culinary experience for high school students, festival experiences for middle schoolers, and coloring activities and other hands-on experiences for elementary students.
Sharma and Bodduluri were joined at the middle school on Thursday by Reyansh Dadhich, Aneesh Jakkamsetti, Arjun Ojha, Akshay Patil, Rohan Patel, Arnav Jakkamsetti, Ishan Chatur, Bhargava Janga, Ayansh Kerjiwal and Krishna Das. Together, the students worked to organize the activities and share the traditions and meaning behind the celebration.
Diwali is a time of renewal, gratitude and togetherness. Traditions often include cleaning and decorating homes, wearing new clothes, preparing special foods, and gathering with family and friends. While most closely associated with Hinduism, the holiday also holds religious significance for Jain and Sikh communities, each of which observes it with its own traditions and meanings.
For the high school students, returning to the middle school to share their culture made the experience especially meaningful.
“It feels good to be back and give back to the community, and to teach everybody about our culture,” Bodduluri said.
Sharma and Bodduluri also hope their efforts will inspire other students to share traditions that are important to them.
“Hopefully, we’ll get other cultures to be able to do the same thing,” Bodduluri added.
The students credited Gadsden, Sparkman and Dr. Klugman for helping turn their idea into a districtwide opportunity for cultural learning and connection. And judging by the long line of students anxious to try the gulab jamun, the celebration was a hit.
Asked to rate the traditional dessert, one student offered a simple review: “Ten out of 10. Great.”
