Fostering Wonder, Gratitude, and Connection 

Three cultural events took place at GDS on Friday, October tenth, courtesy of our DEI office. The Lower School launched the day’s events with a Diwali Assembly, which featured a slide show highlighting how different members of the GDS community celebrate Diwali. High school students  Anjali Martin-Shanker '26 and  Ambar Grewal '26 shared a bit about the history and traditions of Diwali, followed by second graders Lyla, Penelope, and Samaya performing a Bharatnatyam dance. The assembly concluded with a presentation and performance by Lavanya Thamire and Pragnya Thamire of the Kalanidhi Dance troupe, who demonstrated the Kuchipudi dance form and its elements, and performed the Indian Panchatantra story, The Monkey and the Crocodile. Overall, the students explored the theme of how light can overcome darkness and the power of spreading kindness, which will continue to be explored in their classrooms throughout the coming weeks. 

Then, at lunchtime, in celebration of Sukkot, a mobile Sukkah came to campus for the Middle and High Schoolers to visit. The visit was organized by the GDS Jewish Student Coalition, including students  Henry '26 and Lulu Wachs '27, in partnership with Rabbi Shua and Esti Hecht of the American University Chabad. Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, Sukkot is a Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days to commemorate the harvest and the dwellings (both literal and spiritual) that God provided for the Israelites on their journey out of Egypt. For many Jews, Sukkot represents an opportunity to connect with family under the stars and celebrate the bounties and continual wonders of nature.

In the afternoon, the Middle School held a Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Assembly. High school student Matias Sevak '27 opened with a presentation on the history and importance of the month, then seventh graders Max, Cassie, Jacob, Kaely, Martin, Raffa, and William shared details of their own heritages and the traditions their families celebrate. The assembly concluded with a volunteer demonstration by Afro-Brazilian Capoeira group, Abada DC, in which Executive Director Yara Cordeiro and student volunteers shared the importance of Capoeira's history as a unique martial art and dance form. 

Since the celebration spans the entire month, earlier assemblies also celebrated Hispanic & Latinx Heritage including the Lower School’s which was held on October 3. For this, our students had a morning of singing, Spanish, and music from across Central and South America brought to them by the Grammy Award-winning group, 123 Andrés. Students learned about the geographies of different Latin American countries and even got to practice words in both Spanish and American Sign Language. 

The High School’s Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Assembly took place earlier on September 12. They kicked off the month-long celebration by welcoming to campus Roberto Molina, the Business Manager of the locally acclaimed Breads Unlimited & Edith's Pizza. He shared the inspiring story of his family's immigration from El Salvador and their journey creating an intergenerational family business. It was a story of cultural transcendence of food, a story of love and resilience, and how one family connects to their heritage while creating life in the U.S. The assembly was organized by our HOLA co-leads, Aron Moldabek-Machado '26 and Matias Sevak '27.

Ariana Abadian-Heifetz, our Associate Director of DEI, said of the events:  “Though culturally unique, they all evoked themes of bringing light into the world, transcending moments of dehumanization, and finding ways to foster a sense of wonder, gratitude, and connection amidst adversity.”
 

Gallery and video links:

• Lower School Diwali Assembly

• Diwali Celebrations 

• A Sukkot Lesson and Celebration

• MS Hispanic Heritage Month Assembly

• Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month Celebrations