Diwali Festival of Lights Cultural Celebration at the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School

November 8, 2023

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School (BFCCPS) recently hosted a Diwali Festival of Lights Cultural Celebration.  This educational and cultural event was organized by a variety of BFCCPS parent volunteers and the BFCCPS ELPAC. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. 

The event was well attended by BFCCPS families, faculty, staff and administration. Participants were joined by District Director Aidan Doherty, a representative from the office of State Senator Rebecca Rausch. The Senator’s office presented Manisha Thanneeru with an official citation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate to recognize her efforts to bring our community together during this celebration.  

“On behalf of the BFCCPS Administration, I’d like to extend a tremendous thank you to Manisha Thanneeru, Deepa Bhaskar and the team of volunteers who led this year’s event; we also wish to thank the many students and parents who shared their time and talents with us. This festival was such a wonderful opportunity for all of our families to learn more about Diwali.” Joe Perna BFCCPS Head of  School

If you'd like to learn more about the educational mission of the school or have enrollment related questions please contact the school's Communication Coordinator, Joanne Basile at jbasile@bfccps.org or 508-541-3434 x104.

About the Benjamin Franklin Charter School

The Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School is a regional public charter school for students in Kindergarten through Grade Eight. The school’s mission is to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children by providing students with a classical academic education coupled with sound character development and community service. Our mission is supported by four distinct, yet interconnected pillars that provide for a collaborative, rigorous education for all students. These pillars guide, direct and define the school in all it does.

Additional photos can be found online in one album ->  https://photos.app.goo.gl/r2BzYoezEEvvLhRU7

 

District Director Aidan Doherty presented Manisha Thanneeru with an official citation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate

Diwali Celebration at the Franklin Library, Saturday, Nov 5 at 1:00 PM

Diwali Celebration! 

Saturday November 5, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Join us for a special Diwali celebration for the whole family, including dancing, crafts, music performances, food, henna, and more!

Shared from https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/bulletins/diwali-celebration-saturday-november-5th-100-300-pm

Diwali Celebration at the Franklin Library, Saturday, Nov 5 at 1:00 PM

Franklin Cultural District features the seasonal sounds of #artshappenhere in all its glory this time around

So much happening as we get into the heart of October. Pumpkins, touch-a-truck, story walk, trail walk, fund raising walk, Ladybug 5K, Diwali Celebration, along with live music at the Farmers Market and elsewhere. Dean has their installation ceremony and Homecoming weekend. FPAC performs The Sound of Music. Franklin has the seasonal sounds of #artshappenhere in all its glory this time around.

Wednesday, October 12

11:00am - Franklin Q&A with Steve Sherlock (hybrid event, Senior Center)

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

The pumpkin patch returns to St John's for October!

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

7:00pm - St Mary's Women's Faith Formation Group (virtual event - St Mary’s Church)

Thursday, October 13

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

6:00pm - Dave Penza (live music) (La Cantina Winery)

Friday, October 14 

4:30pm - Papalias Pizza (Wood-Fired mobile pizza truck) (67 Degrees Brewery)

5:30pm - Scott Damgaard (Solo acoustic guitarist) (67 Degrees Brewery)

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

2:00pm - Farmers Market  (Town Common)

2:00pm - Matt Zajac (live music)  (Town Common)

2:30pm - Installation Ceremony - Dean President & Chancellor (Dean College)

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

6:00pm - Sioo (La Cantina Winery)

7:00pm - FPAC presents The Sound of Music (THE BLACK BOX)

Saturday, October 15

Dean College Homecoming Weekend

5:30pm -  Northeast Groove (67 Degrees Brewery)

9:00am - Friends of the Poor Walk - St VdP (Town Common)

10:00am - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

10:00am - Touch a Truck (DPW Way)

10:00am - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

11:00am - Fall Foliage Hike (Rail Trail Cmte - SNETT, Grove St)

11:00am - Diwali Celebration (Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School)

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

4:00pm - AK Cody (live music) (La Cantina Winery)

7:00pm - FPAC presents The Sound of Music (THE BLACK BOX)

Sunday, October 16

Dean College Homecoming Weekend

8:30am - Ladybug 5K (Kennedy Elementary School)

10:00am - Howl-o-Ween Dog Costume Party (Dacey Fields)

La Cantina Winery

12:00pm - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

12:00pm - Caribbean Press (67 Degrees Brewery)

1:00pm - Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

2:00pm - FPAC presents The Sound of Music (THE BLACK BOX)

Monday, October 17

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

6:00pm - Rising Star Cabaret auditions (THE BLACK BOX)

Tuesday, October 18

12:00pm - Fall Storywalk (DelCarte Recreation)

4:00pm - Pumpkin Patch Sale (St John’s Episcopal)

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The Franklin Art Association Art Gallery remains open during business hours at Escape into Fiction (Main St, Franklin)

Find the full Community event calendar  https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/blog-page.html

The Cultural calendar displays only the cultural events    https://www.franklinculture.org/things-do/pages/calendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://forms.gle/oPdi8X3ZbHHyrHzo6

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar
The School district calendar is found  https://www.franklinps.net/calendar-by-event-type/26 

We invite you to our first School-wide Diwali Celebration - Oct 15

The BFCCPS English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC), the Franklin Cultural Council, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council are excited to sponsor our school’s first Diwali Celebration on Saturday, October 15. 

Our goal is to celebrate together and educate our community about Diwali.  The event takes place October 15 from 11 AM to 1 PM.  The ELPAC has been hard at work planning a number of activities for the community including Decorating Diyas, Mehndi, Rangolis, Coloring Mandalas, How to wear a sari booth, Photo booth, Storytelling

The team has also coordinated a range of performances including songs, Tabla (drumming), Ramp Walk featuring students wearing clothing from the different states of India, Bollywood, and Classical dances.

“This program is supported in part by a grant from the Franklin Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.”

We invite you to our first School-wide Diwali Celebration - Oct 15

Diwali!

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director  12/19/2021

This past November the Franklin Library held an event to celebrate a holiday for the first time. Diwali! They enjoyed a large turnout of about 400 celebrants.

Like so many of our late fall and winter holidays, it is a major festival of light celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists. Diwali usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November). One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali is widely associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, 

Diwali

In the lead-up to Diwali, families will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces with diyas (oil lamps) and rangolis (colorful art circle patterns). During Diwali, people dress up their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with diyas and rangoli, dedicating ceremonies to Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity and wealth, lighting fireworks, and enjoying gatherings with family, friends and feasts where sweets and gifts are shared.

Much about the Diwali celebration sounds familiar. As it should. During these darker days we all seek the same thing: Light, goodness, enlightenment, and the peace and joy that (hopefully) comes to all of us.

Annnnd – I get to add a new holiday icon to my traditional embrace of all below. Happy Diwali – to all.

And – as always –
Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. 
And, thank you for watching. 

 

holiday collection

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  

Request to add Diwali as an observed holiday

Copy of KP Sompally's statement made during Citizens Comment at the Franklin School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Dec 14, 2021:

"Request to add Diwali as an observed holiday to the list of no-school days.

I am a community member, volunteer, and parent (my child attends Franklin High School.) I would like to request that the School Committee discuss at a future meeting about DIWALI as an observed holiday 

• The Town of Franklin observes numerous holidays – Christmas, Thanksgiving, Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and many more.

• We connected to each other through our different cultures with respective values. We have people from different ethnicities, religions and nationalities. We’re a growing town with good representation from several communities. Adopting an inclusive approach allows diversity to flourish

• Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by people of multiple faiths, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists

• Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. The festival celebrates over 5 days, culminating on Diwali Day which is new moon day 

• About 800 Franklin families celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights and could celebrate well by being together, if it is a holiday 

Every year, I am one of 5 million Americans who celebrate Diwali across our nation. I think it’s all more important to educate people about other backgrounds so that we can all live more in harmony, tolerance and inclusion. A holiday for Diwali will be a great inspiration for students who are trying to fulfill Franklin public school’s mission of being a global citizen

Making it a school holiday would help people of the town better understand its cultural significance, it would definitely give a message to the world that Franklin is flourishing by giving significant importance to diversity. 

I appreciate the time and effort the school committee puts into our school wellness ultimately protecting our town's future and values. I look forward to hearing from you on this matter. If you would like to discuss this request further, 

Thank you for your time, service and consideration. 

Sincerely, 

KP Sompally"

 

For more about Diwali -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

Congressman Jake Auchincloss joined to celebrate Diwali at the Franklin Library in November, 2021  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/diwali-festival-celebrated-at-franklin.html

Congressman Auchincloss poses with some of the gathering

Diwali Festival celebrated at Franklin Library

The Indian Diwali Festival was celebrated by around 400 people on Saturday afternoon. 4th District Congressman Jake Auchincloss along with District Director Dana Hanson joined the festivities at America's First Public Library. 

The significance of the Indian Festival of Lights Diwali is victory of Good over Evil.

The program started with prayer and followed by colorful Bollywood Dances and Indian traditional kid dances.

Yummy sweets and brunch boxes were served for Vegetarians and Non-Vegetarians.

Photos and text submitted by community correspondent KP Sompally

Congressman Auchincloss poses with some of the gathering

Congressman Auchincloss gives remarks to the gathering

some of the sweets gathered comments