First Annual Dar Al Kalima Festival and Exhibit

By: Paola Handal-Michael

On Saturday, May 10, 2003, Dar Al Kalima School was filled with tribulation.
In the morning, students were cleaning their classrooms, practicing with the
teachers for last minute rehearsals, and putting up their exhibits in the
school’s conference hall. Nerves were on edge for everyone.

At five o’clock, all students were dressed and ready to perform. The Dar Al
Kalima Scouts proudly performed at the entrance while parents arrived. It
was Dar Al Kalima’s first festival of this sort and expectations were high.
All students from grades Kindergarten to Grade 10 participated in different
ways. Students took part in the school’s choir, some played their
instruments and some were in the drama skit, karate or gymnastics show.
Others sang German or Arabic songs and the rest read their poems assigned.

Meanwhile in the exhibit room, the Extra-Curricular classes held their first
exhibit. The conference hall was filled with boards and tables displaying
students’ work for the past year. The room was colorful and crammed with
crafts and art work. Students from art classes, Arts and Crafts, Ceramics,
English Creative Writing, Arabic Creative Writing, Greeting Cards, Waxwork,
and Embroidery all exposed their work. There was a lot of pride and
satisfaction both among the teachers and the students.

The show went on as scheduled and many in the community attended the event.
Among the distinguished guests were Bishop Munib Younan, Reverend Mitri
Raheb, the Director of the Lutheran Schools Dr. Charlie Haddad, the
Principals of the other Lutheran Schools and the Director of the Government
Schools. There were the parents and family of the students who were waiting
anxiously to see their children perform. Furthermore parents of the students
that will attend the school next year also attended.

By 6:30 in the evening the show was over. Children had succeeded in pulling
off the show and their hard work paid off. After the show, parents and
guests were escorted for some complimentary drinks and food and parents were
able to visit the exhibit and the classrooms. If parents wanted to come back
again to see the exhibit, the school and hall was open for visitors the
following day.

In all the show was a success. Until next year.

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