Passing of the Light

Well here we are... the last three days of our school year. Thank you so much for entrusting your children to Mrs. Troyer and me for most of their waking hours over the past school year. The Galaxy experience has truly been one that I will treasure. We laughed, cried, and most of all learned; not just academic stuff, but the stuff about relationships, honesty, integrity, productivity, and living a full life. During these next few days, we'll just enjoy being together and wrapping up the year.

Tomorrow we'll take some time to sign yearbooks and begin taking things off the walls, reminiscing, and finishing our Passing of the Light gift. Wednesday, we'll practice our Passing of the Light ceremony and then on Thursday we will all participate in the real thing, 2018-2019 GES Passing of the Light Ceremony. Please join our community in this beautiful ending of this year.

What is Passing of the Light?

A candle loses nothing by giving of itself. As a matter of fact, as long as a candle is lit, there is no limit to the number of other candles it can light. Its ability to share its brilliance is limited only by the length of time it can stay lit.

Each of us has our own source of light. Our source, of course, is what makes each of us unique. And like a burning candle, each one of us can touch numbers of others with our unique light. We can keep touching as many other people as we can with our love and our light, never having to fear for one moment that we will deplete or diminish our own source in any way. In fact, as we become more aware of this idea of passing on our light, we will discover that we do not lose any of our own light--we actually strengthen and intensify it! Unlike a candle, the glow is "turned up"--brightened--the more we share it. Each child that comes to Greenbrier Episcopal School shares their light and creates a classroom community that burns brightly as classroom communities are formed.

Our classroom communities ceremoniously define the light that they brought together as individuals and as classrooms and symbolically create a gift that represents the light they have created to be passed on in our Passing of the Light Ceremony.

Unlike a typical graduation, the students reflect upon their year together and each contribute to creating a gift that represents the time together in the classroom.

It is a beautiful end to the year!

Fast Facts:

- It is considered a school day so ALL students should be there.

- Passing of the Light will be held in the GES cafeteria beginning at 9:00 am. Students will gather in their classroom by 8:15 am.

- Students dress up for the occasion. (Think Sunday best)

- Students sit with their class.

- A reception will follow (also in the cafeteria).

- The day is over around 11:30 as we say goodbye to another great year!

I hope to see everyone this Thursday.
Mrs. J