January 17th, 2025 might have seemed like an ordinary Monday to any other person. But to the students of International Community School (ICS), and Ms. Sumi Panchapagesan, it was quite the opposite! It was ICS's annual “Phoenix Day,” a daylong program where parent volunteers came to teach enrichment classes to the students. Ms. Sumi, a senior artist from our school, used this opportunity to teach these ICS students about Madhubani. 

Prior to the program, Ms. Sumi carefully sourced her teaching materials and set up her classroom. Her hard work allowed students to walk into a fully prepped classroom-turned-Madhubani studio and begin the session seamlessly.

Ms. Sumi then started with a presentation on the roots of Madhubani, detailing the history, origin, and timeframe, then followed with a hands-on activity: decorating a wooden frame with Madhubani designs. In the end, Ms. Sumi was able to teach 60 students throughout the day, reaching the admirable goal of giving back to the students at ICS and her community.