That's why Grover decided to get involved in her sons' school by educating students about Indian culture.

Grover has two sons at Argonaut Elementary. Her youngest, Mahir, is the only child of Indian descent in his combined kindergarten and first-grade classroom. This fact, in combination with her desire to educate, prompted Grover to visit the classroom Nov. 5 and explain the Hindu celebration of Diwali (pronounced Divalee).

"We are lucky in this school to have different ethnic groups," Grover said. "They are very open to sharing cultures here. I wanted to provide the opportunity for Mahir to soak in and be proud of his culture with his American friends."

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a prominent holiday for many Indian families. It is usually celebrated on the day of the new moon that falls between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15. The holiday is a blend of both spiritual beliefs and cultural custom.

Lights are strung throughout the entire house, and families make and light diyas—traditional candles in small painted pots that are filled with mustard oil and handmade, pressed cotton wicks. Rangolis—large, ornate patterns of geometrical shapes and animals made of dyed rice flour—are also used to decorate the outside doorsteps.

The religious aspect, which Grover lightly touched on while speaking to the young class, bases itself on Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It is believed she needs the lights in the houses to guide her as she returns from traveling, and it is also believed that she will choose to visit those houses most illuminated.

Ganesh, the god of prosperity, and Saraswati, the goddess of music and learning, are also integral to the festival, which seeks to create an atmosphere that ensures prosperity in the new year.

Argonaut Principal Sue Brooks, who donned a sari for the occasion, believes teaching the children about different cultures is paramount. "There is a lot of cultural sharing at the school," Brooks said. "It is important to the school, and it's important to have parents that will share their culture because we need to each recognize our uniqueness and differences."

Depending on student makeup and involved parents, Argonaut Elementary is open to celebrating a host of cultural events, including the Chinese New Year, Hanukkah, and International Day.

To explain Diwali, Grover laid out a table of candles, incense and a small Rangoli. Students were given their own diyas to design—a gold candleholder and pens to decorate with.

Mahir said he thought the festival was "fun" and that his favorite part of the festival was "making activities," especially the candles. He helped everyone at the table design their diyas, as they looked to him for answers about "knowing Indian."

First-grader Cristina Curcelli, who is of Italian descent, said that designing the diyas was "fun," as she spent the entire class time eagerly hunched over her candle holder.

Argonaut teacher Helen Green, who teaches the combined class, said this was her first Diwali celebration. She was very happy to have Grover come into the classroom to teach about Diwali, as she welcomes any parent to come talk about the cultural holiday their family celebrates.

"Teaching the kids about their cultures feels more natural because they are so very open at this age," Green said. "I enjoy the diversity and the growing population of different ethnicities here. These are really neat kids; I just love them."