Social Action Day
Each year, BCDS students devote a day to community service. ln 2006 the program consisted of a morning of student-led diversity awareness workshops followed by afternoon trips off campus to service organizations. In past years students have worked with more than a dozen service organizations throughout Boston. Projects included: outside clean-ups along Boston's Esplanade, the Dudley Street Neighborhood and Hyde Square; agricultural fieldwork at the Food Project, the Heifer Project, and Waltham Fields; flower-planting at the Franklin Park Zoo; and visits to elderly residents at Jewish Community Housing.
Unity Day
This yearly event celebrates diversity in its many forms. Unity Day honors the rich diversity of ethnicities and cultures we have in our school community, and encourages students to embrace differences. Unity Day 2007, to be held on May 10, will explore creating a safe community for the diversity of human sexuality and family structure. Unity Day builds on a year-long program to raise awareness and acceptance of the GLBT community. The "Love Makes a Family" photo exhibit and a lecture by the founder of GLSEN , Kevin Jennings, are related componenst of this effort.
The theme of Unity Day 2006 was “BCDS Takes Deeper Look and Finds Common Threads: Examining the Intersection of Spirituality, Religion, and Culture.” The purpose of the day was to find the common threads that unite people across religious faiths and spiritual practices outside faith-based traditions. The hope is that once the community recognizes its common threads, then understanding of similarities and respect for differences will grow. A news story about Unity Day 2006 is posted here.
Unity Day 2005 addressed gender issues and stereotypes. Students spent the day discussing an issue that is not normally addressed in school: what it means to be male or female in today's society. Guest speaker Dr. Gail Dines, Professor of Sociology and Womens' Studies at Wheelock College, gave a thought-provoking presentation entitled "From Jessica Simpson to Ashton Kutcher: Becoming Male & Female in an MTV World." Dines connected with students by discussing feminism, sexism and gender identity in the context of today's media. Students later met in groups to share their thoughts about the opposite sex. Twenty-six workshops offered a choice of topics including "Gender in American Sports," "From Bread-making to Breadwinning," and "Women in Hip Hop." The day concluded with a community art project that involved pairs of students learning about each other and then making a visual representation of what makes the other person unique. The individual portraits will be compiled into collective display boards that will hang in the new Visual and Performing Arts Center.
Unity Day 2004 celebrated language and culture, and emphasized the importance of global awareness. Students enjoyed a multi-cultural fashion show, performances, guest speaker City Councilman Felix Arroyo, workshops, a range of ethnic food for lunch, and classes in twenty different languages.
Winter Holidays Celebration
Every December, the school community gathers to celebrate winter holidays from around the globe. Students and special guest offer presentations and performances in honor of Three Kings Day, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Asian New Year, Ramadan and Diwali.
Harvest Fest
This annual fall festival is hosted by the Parents' Association. Hundreds of students, family members, friends and other guests enjoy a book sale, international cafe, laser tag, moonwalk, student booths, sporting events and more. The event helps raise money to support student activities at BCDS.
Asian Night
An evening of Asian food and entertainement organized by students in the Asian Culture Club.
Winter Carnival
Jointly organized by the PA and the faculty, each grade designs and chisels an ice sculpture in the front circle while enjoying hot cocoa and s'mores around a bonfire.
Unity Day 2005 addressed gender issues and stereotypes. Students spent the day discussing an issue that is not normally addressed in school: what it means to be male or female in today's society. Guest speaker Dr. Gail Dines, Professor of Sociology and Womens' Studies at Wheelock College, gave a thought-provoking presentation entitled "From Jessica Simpson to Ashton Kutcher: Becoming Male & Female in an MTV World." Dines connected with students by discussing feminism, sexism and gender identity in the context of today's media. Students later met in groups to share their thoughts about the opposite sex. Twenty-six workshops offered a choice of topics including "Gender in American Sports," "From Bread-making to Breadwinning," and "Women in Hip Hop." The day concluded with a community art project that involved pairs of students learning about each other and then making a visual representation of what makes the other person unique. The individual portraits will be compiled into collective display boards that will hang in the new Visual and Performing Arts Center.
Unity Day 2004 celebrated language and culture, and emphasized the importance of global awareness. Students enjoyed a multi-cultural fashion show, performances, guest speaker City Councilman Felix Arroyo, workshops, a range of ethnic food for lunch, and classes in twenty different languages.
Winter Holidays Celebration
Every December, the school community gathers to celebrate winter holidays from around the globe. Students and special guest offer presentations and performances in honor of Three Kings Day, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Asian New Year, Ramadan and Diwali.
Harvest Fest
This annual fall festival is hosted by the Parents' Association. Hundreds of students, family members, friends and other guests enjoy a book sale, international cafe, laser tag, moonwalk, student booths, sporting events and more. The event helps raise money to support student activities at BCDS.
Asian Night
An evening of Asian food and entertainement organized by students in the Asian Culture Club.
Winter Carnival
Jointly organized by the PA and the faculty, each grade designs and chisels an ice sculpture in the front circle while enjoying hot cocoa and s'mores around a bonfire.
