Westpark Elementary School Celebrates Diwali
by Chloë Ranaldi
Some students at Westpark Elementary School in Dollard-Des-Ormeaux decorated their classrooms and got dressed in traditional clothing to celebrate Diwali.
Diwali is a major religious festival for Hindus, and is also observed by Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists.
Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.
At Westpark Elementary School students painted lights on paper to honor the celebration, and some classrooms featured small lights, and a display in honor of the festival.
The students in P.E.L.O, a program intended to improve students’ knowledge of their heritage language, also came together after school to celebrate Diwali.
LBPSB offers Heritage Language courses (Programme de l’enseignement des langues d’origine), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
At Westpark these P.E.L.O courses are currently offered in Hebrew and Hindi for students in grade 1 to six.