Special Events

Each year the Lower School has a theme which integrates into the academic and extra-curricular programs.  Last year the boys focused on practicing acts of Cosby kindness.  (Click here for the web article highlighting that theme from last fall.)  This year's theme is "Roots and Wings", inspired by a quote from Cecilia Lasbury:  "There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to offer our children.  One of these is roots; the other, wings".   

Lower School Head, Katie Signer, focused her Curriculum Night speech on this very quote.  She encouraged parents to embrace the special nature of developing family traditions and values, and stressed the importance of understanding and celebrating each family’s unique history and cultural heritage.  “What do you believe?  What defines you? What matters to you? What are your roots?” she asked. “Encourage your child to value what makes your family special.  At home, these roots become your child’s foundation, a definition of who he is and where he comes from.”

This December, the School's intention to have families explore and share their roots certainly came to fruition.  

As a way to understand each other's cultural heritage the boys spent a morning at a special event entitled "World Celebrations:  Explore your Roots. Discover Mine."  Thanks to the leadership of parent volunteers Mavis Osemobor and Supurna Vedbrat the gym was transformed into a mini-world's fair.  Parents from various traditions prepared tables with hands-on activities and interesting traditional items to explore.  The boys were exposed to the holidays of Austria, Central African Republic, China, Chanukah, Diwali, Guatemala, Italy, Ireland, Nigeria and Trinidad.  They traveled with "passports", enjoying different treats and playing traditional games.  Below is a link to photographs taken by Candice Bednar at the event.  The engrossed faces of the boys and the parent presenters tell a great story about what took place.  

http://picasaweb.google.com/cnbednar/12409WorldCelebrations?authkey=Gv1sRgCMz768O439SZWw&feat=email

The boys also participated in an activity where they put push pins on a map indicating their family's ancestry.  That map remains on display in the Lower School and continues to act as a springboard for many conversations about the world and each other.

As an extension of the theme each boy has been asked to create a "global disc"  to decorate  the "Roots and Wings Tree" in the Lower School atrium.  The tree will then be topped off with a winged dove symbolizing good will and peace during the holiday season.  Roots and Wings abound!