This Navratri season, we had yet another edition of the staff garba fest. The school organizes a garba event for students every year, and while the staff usually puts in all their effort to make it a success, they rarely get the chance to play garba themselves. This event was therefore an opportunity for them to relax, enjoy the music, and dance surrounded by the vibrant traditional décor that we had worked hard to create.

LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process

As part of the décor team for a traditional event, I faced a few challenges along the way. The first was designing decorations that were both visually appealing and in harmony with the Indian traditional theme of the event. As a team, we brainstormed, researched, and came up with ideas that matched the festive mood. Another major challenge was time management, since we only had a single day to set up the entire décor before the event began in the evening. This required us to work quickly yet carefully. Overcoming these challenges helped me develop stronger time management skills and taught me how to prioritize tasks effectively under pressure.

LO5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively

Managing the décor for such a large-scale event required smooth collaboration among all team members. Clear communication was key so that everyone knew what needed to be done and could work in sync. Working together also meant that problems could be solved more efficiently, since multiple people contributed ideas and shared the workload. The benefit of this collaborative approach was that we were able to generate more creative ideas and complete the setup on time with higher efficiency. It also showed me how teamwork can make even large responsibilities manageable.

LO7: Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

While planning and executing the décor, it was important to ensure that our designs were respectful of traditional Indian culture and that we did not unintentionally misuse or misrepresent cultural symbols. At the same time, we had to consider the ethical implications of the materials we used. We made a conscious effort to avoid single-use plastic and non-biodegradable materials like Styrofoam. Instead, we reused decorations from past events and created items that could be used again in the future. This not only reduced waste but also ensured that the event décor was more sustainable. Through these choices, I became more aware of the responsibility that comes with decision-making in community projects.