Cultural Activities

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

An integral part of the PILC curriculum are several education activities involving both children and adult students.
They are offered through the school year and utilize the great resources of the North End neighborhood.

Cultural Synergies with the Pirandello Association and IAM BOOKS

Our school is named after the first Italian Literature Nobel Prize winner, Luigi Pirandello.

One of the most prominent Italian cultural associations in the Boston area is the Pirandello Lyceum. Several PIL staff members have been actively working within the Pirandello Lyceum Association for many years, promoting and coordinating cultural activities.

The Lyceum board members are committed to foster PILC initiatives with the goal of fostering Italian language and culture. PILCon the other hand intend to promote some of the Lyceum activities ( Migliori Awards; Italian scholarship drives; musical presentations; Italian movie series).

IAM BOOKS is one of the very few surviving bookstores in North America. It is located in the heart of the North End and run by a very competent and dedicated staff. It offers a very wide selection of both contemporary Italian and Italian-American novels as well as Italian language textbooks.

For PILC, IAM BOOKS has been and continues to be a great cultural and educational resource.

Festive Celebrations and Traditional Italian Holidays

There are festivities that are very much part of the school curriculum. Natale and Carnevale are celebrated with Italian songs, poems and sweets. Learning Italian throwsh music and songs has always been relevant. The Italian national anthem and the song Volare are "required' from all students.

Visits to Neighborhood Shops And Stores

Following specially designed learning packets, students visit an Italian baker (Panificio);a drug store (Salumeria); a butcher shop (Macelleria); a coffee shop (Caffe'); a pastry shop (Pasticceria); a Trattoria and a Pizzeria.

Students discover ingredients and techniques to prepare various types of food. They learn the importance of eating well.

Gastronomy Classes

Visiting chefs and business owners share their skills in periodic presentations aimed at teaching the relevance of good nutrition. Students enjoy hands-on exercises and learn key vocabulary terms. They appreciate learning about authentic recipes and regional foods.

Pasta making and Espresso preparation are the tavorites.

Interactive Lectures

Among the PILC students and among their parents there are several prominent professionals eager to share their skills and their know-how (researchers; doctor:enginers; historians). The PILC identifies such professionals and organizes events focused on topics of interest )Family tree; Italian sports; Taxonomy; Renaissance paintings)