FHS Students Visit IAR for South Asia Day

November 21, 2017, was an important day for many students and teachers at both IAR and Farmington High School. South Asia Day provided IAR’s seventh graders with an opportunity to learn more about the vast world that we live in, while students from FHS were given a chance to share their own cultures and broaden our understanding of the outside world.

Students from FHS came to IAR and presented to seventh graders their insights on the

many different cultures in South Asia. All fourteen students have traveled to South Asia and had experienced different aspects of the traditions from the many countries. They shared many unique culture universals from all of the South Asian cultures. Different students come to IAR every year, and every new set of students has different experiences and facts to share. This year, the students from FHS shared the music and arts from South Asia. Several students played instruments and danced classical and folk routines famous in India. In addition to the music and dance, the students also shared how education works in these foreign places, and the different holidays they celebrate. Seventh graders watching the presentation learned a lot about South Asia’s rich culture and lifestyle.

About fourteen Farmington High School students from countries such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh talk about different things from their respective countries every year. Because there are different presenters every year, there is always something new to see. Students often bring instruments. Sushane Sharma played his sitar for students, to give them a taste of what music is like in his home countries. Some are traditional dancers, and prepare a segment of a dance to perform. The entertainers show off both older, more traditional things, and more modern pieces. However, neither fail to captivate the audience year after year.

South Asia Day has been going on for several years. About six years ago, some high school students asked if they

could come to IAR and share first-hand knowledge and experience with the seventh graders. The school agreed, deciding that this would be a good experience for not just the high schools coming to present, but also the seventh graders who hadn’t had a lot of exposure to the culture of South Asia. South Asia Day is a great opportunity for students of all ages to learn and educate others on some of the most vibrant and exotic cultures of the world.