Traditions that remind us to be thankful

Lawrence Woodmere Academy (LWA) is a growing and changing school, always looking to the horizons. And although we have our eye on the future, we never forget the traditions upon which our school was built.

These traditions are our foundation, providing us with a structure that is uniquely our own. My favorite tradition occurred Thanksgiving Week.

In 1983, the school that was once the Woodmere Academy before merging with Lawrence Country Day School to form LWA, held its very first school-wide Thanksgiving celebration, called the Harvest Festival. This celebration at LWA is as diverse as a Thanksgiving meal itself, different elements coming together in seemingly unconventional ways.

The pre-school students began the celebration with a song festival, in which they proudly wore self-made costumes covered in feathers and paint, and entertained parents and friends with songs they learned about the holiday.

While the Lower School brings joy and enthusiasm to the holiday, the Upper School approaches Thanksgiving from a different angle. As a senior, my years at Lawrence Woodmere Academy have taught me the importance of giving back. Just as when I was a freshman, this year’s ninth grade geared up to serve meals to members of the school as well as the community.

Also around this time each year, the sophomore class participates in the Youth Service Opportunity Program (YSOP), located at the Quaker Meeting House, just east of Union Square in New York City. This overnight trip provides students with a better understanding of those less fortunate through valuable first-hand experience. Students prepare meals, visit soup kitchens, and chat with people who rely on the services provided by the facility.

Having experienced this as a sophomore, I am still to this day grateful for the opportunity YSOP provided me. It left a lasting impression with me and my fellow classmates on not only the importance of giving back, but our power to do so.

For both the Middle and Upper schools, the festival closed with a traditional volleyball competition. Students and even a few teachers laughingly competed against one another in order to come out victorious.

As everyone parted ways that Tuesday afternoon, on separate paths to grandparents’ houses or even just to their own dining room table, a resounding sense of tradition surrounded the school. Although unconventional, our Harvest Festival incorporates all the elements of Thanksgiving. Somehow, between the pre-school’s rendition of “Albuquerque the Turkey” and volleyball serves, we find what makes us truly thankful.