At Wellsprings we like to begin the school year with a little adventure. Two years ago we visited the Portland zoo, so this year we decided to visit the Wildlife Safari, in Winston, OR. We spent over an hour driving though giraffes, bears, tigers, and many other herds of wild animals. We had a brief break for lunch and then proceeded through the walk-through area where we saw more large cats, lemurs, flamingos and even a crocodile. Some of us petted and fed miniature goats, while others milked a fake cow.
The graduation ceremony for Wellsprings students touches the hearts of everyone who experiences it. Once the first notes of "Pomp and Circumstance" are played on the piano and students start their slow walk down the aisle, the audience (and students) begin to sense the joyful spirit of the occasion.
The presentation of individual graduates by one of their teachers is a highlight of the ceremony, filled with special remembrances, laughter, cheers, tears, and applause for each student. Here are three videos showing the presentation of our 2010 graduates:
May each young person be blessed with all the best that life offers and with learnings that shine the light of their hearts and minds on the world! We'll miss you (and hope you'll stop by for a visit next year as well as join us for school reunions).
Graduation day began for our eighteen seniors with a rehearsal at 10 a.m. Students chose from a colorful selection caps and gowns, often struggling with getting the cap to stay on their head. Next came getting organized (by height and number) to practice the two-by-two "slow walk" down the aisle.
Once everyone gathered on stage in their assigned chair, the photographer arranged the young people for their class graduation photo. After some arranging and rearranging, students were in place for the photo (which they'll receive later this month). Here is an "unofficial" photo with some faces hiding behind others.
The seniors then practiced moving in their rows from the stage and walked two-by-two up the aisle to the back of the room and down the hallway from which they would emerge to begin the ceremony at 7 p.m.
Teachers and students mingled after the rehearsal to eat cupcakes and other sweet goodies while discussing plans for the evening. In just a little over eight hours, the students will have received their diplomas in a grand celebration of the spirit of each young person and their days at Wellsprings Friends School.
Our tradition for the last day of school is to have a picnic in Armitage Park to celebrate and reflect on the year together at Wellsprings. The yearbook is distributed and students and teachers spend time writing personal notes each other's copy. Then we eat hot dogs, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, and chips for lunch. Once again this year, teachers Bob and Tyler ably did the burger and hot dog cooking on the grill (after students helped start the coals with a roaring flame).
Next came a challenge between students and several decorated pinatas created by fellow students. Like last year, the pinatas got the best of the baseball bat (and the rope got away from the pinata time after time):
Following the pinata battle, we had our traditional ceremony of gifting painted rocks to every student. Teachers paint the rocks with students' names along with a word or two that are symbolic of a particular quality the young person conveyed to the school community during the year. The presentation of a rock to each student brings rounds applause for everyone, lots of laughter, and many hugs between teachers and students.
We had a great time together on a cool Oregon day with lots of clouds, a mix of very light rain, and some brief bursts of sunshine to brighten our celebration. Our 18 seniors will be at graduation practice tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. and walking down the aisle in the evening. We wish our graduates all the best for their lives and for our returning students, an enjoyable summertime!
Math class with teachers Bob and Sam offers some interesting projects for students to take on to learn math concepts. Sam notes that "Plato, in his dialogue Timaeus, made mystical connections between the five regular polyhedra and fire, air, earth, water, and the cosmos. Kepler made models of the five regular polyhedra and decorated them with appropriate Platonic symbols."
In the spirit of Plato and Kepler, Shelby made and decorated models of the five regular polyhedra. Then she assembled them into an attractive mobile. "Sam suggested the project and I decided that it would be fun to do," said Shelby. "It took a long time to complete. The quotes and art on the sides are just random things that came to mind while I was working on it. The quote 'Filthy water cannot be washed' came while I was talking with Kiera."
We look forward to seeing what new projects will emerge from our math classes when school begins again in September.
This year, the theme for our Wellsprings prom was "masquerade." Of course, there were lots of masks along with girls in dazzling dresses and boys in black tuxes (and one white), plus some with stylish black top hats.
The room was ablaze with lights and silver streamers and there was a great spread of food and refreshments for nibbling during the evening. Music from the DJ was lively and loud (but getting the dancing started was a challenge!). There was lots of conversation as well, especially about what people were wearing for the masquerade party.
Thank you to all the students, parents, and teachers who helped make the prom a memorable experience for everyone who attended!
Here are several photos taken during the prom (click a photo to enlarge for better viewing):
And here's a short video of the event taken early in the evening:
Friends of Wellsprings is a group of people dedicated to helping with outreach and development for the school. For information about joining the group, please email: info@wellspringsfriends.org
Wellsprings Friends School is an alternative learning community for high school students. We believe that young people have a natural desire to learn and can be excited and inspired by creative learning experiences and a nurturing environment.
At Wellsprings, we take the time to get to know each student and her/his individual learning needs. We foster a community climate of affirmation and mutual respect.
