September 18, 2020
Dear Northern Light Community,
Earlier today, I joined up a read-aloud with the fantastic second graders – a perfect way to begin a Friday morning. We read the book “I am Yoga,” about a child using the practice of mindfulness and relaxation to imagine new possibilities for herself. Towards the end of the story, the main character says: “I am yoga. I can stand up for me. I can stand up for others. I can stand up for peace.”
Upon hearing this line – and listening to the second graders define what yoga means to them – I was immediately brought back to the rich and beautiful Morning Circle last week, celebrating the 31st birthday of Northern Light School. Before sharing some anecdotes from the circle – which included birthday hats, alumni testimonials, and appearances form from A’s legend Vida Blue (surprising kids with gift certificates for ice cream at Fentons Creamery) and long time NLS supporter Mr. Cornell Maier – I want to say a few words about the symbolism of this particular birthday, in this moment in time.
First, in most school settings, adults do most of the talking about the meaning of education and learning. Yet even the best “adult” description of schooling can fall flat when compared to how kids talk about their experiences, especially Northern Light alumni.