Local School Offers An Alternative To Halloween

Online, October 25, 2011 (Newswire.com) - SUMMARY

A local charter school has decided to eschew a common school tradition by not celebrating Halloween. Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS), a charter school with campuses in Los Angeles's Westchester and Crenshaw areas, is mandating that all of its students stay away from commercial costumes-Spiderman, The Hulk, Harry Potter-in favour of cultural costumes such as Nefetiri, Tuskeegee Airmen, and Kobe Bryant.

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Los Angelas, CA, - Culture and Language Academy of Success is preparing for it's annual fall celebration by going back to the roots of this season and celebrating what it calls Fall Festival. Students (and teachers) at this school are not allowed to wear anything you would see on the big screen. Instead, they have to get creative in a cultural sense, coming up with costumes that speak significantly to the student's heritage. Past costumes have included Rosa Parks, Alicia Keys, and Jackie Robinson.

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CLAS' celebration of Fall Festival instead of Halloween helps students gain a deeper appreciation for the beauty of Fall. The Fall Festival connects the season of Autumn to the season of harvest celebrated in West Africa and elsewhere around the world. "Harvest time is traditionally a time for thanksgiving, reflection, preparation, and celebration. These celebrations have no connection to Halloween," said Dr. Sharroky Hollie, CLAS co-founder and co-director.

This will be CLAS' ninth year celebrating the Fall Festival and the students look forward to the annual event. As one teacher noted, "The students learn more about their history and culture through the celebrations, a lot more than if they just dressed as the newest action figure."

During the festival, kids will have a chance to snack on foods that parents and teachers have prepared, participate in fun, carnival style activities, and enter the "Keep It Cultural" costume parade and contest. Most importantly, they "enjoy one another as a school family."

Re-educating the students and giving them a deeper appreciation for this time of year is what CLAS has set out to do and so far, they are accomplishing their goal.