Student Voices
Every student has a story. We hope our Student Voices gallery will give you a glimpse of the inspiration, knowledge, and creativity generated in the classrooms and beyond.
Come back often to check out what’s new in both the Upper and Lower Schools.
Thank you to ALL of our eighth grade students for your hard work, for sharing your thoughts, for letting us in, and for prompting us to stop and think. Well done – each and every one! Here is an example of the excellent speeches that were shared, courtesy of Camden H.
In Community
It’s September 1st, 2021. I walk up the steps of the Grymes Memorial School bus and the driver, Mrs. Linda greets me and directs me to my slightly cramped seat in the back. I sit down as the bus pulls out of the Louisa Car Wash parking lot. As we are driving down the beautiful backroads of Louisa County I begin to wonder about my future. “What will this year be like?” Will the classes be hard? Will the students like me? Will the teachers even like me?
All of these questions fly about my head as we enter the parking lot of Gordonsville Baptist Church. A few kids get on, but most of them look to be younger than me. We finally arrive at Grymes and Mrs. Sacre bids me “Good Morning” for the first time. It’s uncomfortably warm and rainy. I worry God is sending me a sign that this isn’t going to be a great day. I brace myself as Mrs. Keating directs me to the Seventh Grade classroom. It’s a long walk down the sidewalk to the end of the building. I take a deep breath, realizing that when I walk through that door my whole life will change. For better, or, worse.
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Sixth grade students recently created Weaving Portraits in Art class, weaving photography together with colored paper and hand-drawn elements. The beautiful and unique results can be found on display in Gardner Hall. Well done. Stay creative, 6th Grade!
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The annual Head of School Hike takes place each October. Though the event is no longer announced as a surprise, it’s always a welcomed opportunity to take a break from classrooms and find inspiration and connection in the great outdoors.
This year fifth and sixth grade students trekked along the trails at Grelen and Montpelier while seventh and eighth graders walked the Graves Mill Trail in Madison.
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Eighth grade English students visited the Art room to create writing journals displaying their own signature style. With Mod Podge, favorite quotes, scissors, and endless paper options on hand, each student created a journal cover that is unmistakably their very own.
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Each year we focus on one of the four pillars (Kindness, Respect, Responsibility, Honor) throughout the school year. This year we will explore Kindness as a theme. Students were given the opportunity at the start of this year to enter a poster contest with Kindness in mind. They were challenged to create a poster featuring this message: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop
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Eighth grade students shared a wonderful performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, inspiring ripples of laughter from even our youngest learners. Bravo to all performers!
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Chase B. won first place in the Middle School competition for his poem, “Strum”. Way to go!
About Writer’s Eye: “Now in its 35th year, Writer’s Eye challenges writers of all ages to use visual art in The Fralin as inspiration for the creation of original poetry and prose.”
STRUM
*inspired by Robert Reed’s Scanch Branch
Hours upon hours.
Strings dig into my calloused fingers.
My teacher’s instructions
cut through my dreams.
“Not the A string, the G string!”
“Remember, this is your biggest performance yet.”
Then darkness.
I open my eyes
to the creak of the curtains opening.
Light spills onto the wooden stage.
Performance jitters course through my body,
roots curl into knots deep in my stomach.
I take a breath
and strum,
letting out all the emotion trapped inside me,
like air let go from an over-inflated balloon.
Immediately, all my worries
melt away.
My fingers move methodically
from string to string
and notes emerge,
like baby birds
taking flight from their nest.
Three minutes later,
the last note leaves my fingers.
Relief.
I bow,
and the sound of a thousand elephants
rockets out from the crowd.
Pure joy courses through my body,
forcing my lips into a huge smile.
The baby birds have flown the nest.
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A 5th grade student poem based off of the poem, “Where I Am From,” by George Ella Lyon. Thank you, Kyra, for sharing this beautiful piece!
WHERE I AM FROM
I am from paper
From Nongshim and Sour Patch Kids
I am from the 50-step staircase
(Smooth, wooden,
the portal to the upstairs world)
I am from lavender
the rich purple flower
that calms and inspires
I’m from double-knocks and birthmarks
From Paul A.V. and Tara
I’m from the laughter and stories
From “remember, you were above the average”
and “would you wash the dishes?”
I’m from calls of “Christmas gift!”
at 4:00 AM
I’m from Georgia and Cambodia
mee katang and chicken divan
From the moving of my mom’s family
to the U.S.A.,
the time my father saw a seven-leaf clover
Albums
of photos
of babyhood memories
I am from these preserved doorways
of my younger self’s past.
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First grade students completed a writing exercise imagining what a journey on the Mayflower must have looked like.
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The Kindergarten class presented Armadillo Rodeo, by Jan Brett, as their class play. Armadillos, dancing cowboys and cowgirls, and even a surprise appearance by Mrs. Frantz, inspired smiles the size of Texas. Great job to all!
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In the Second Grade classroom: James’ grandma (Amma), a music teacher at James River Day School, joined the class for some fun!
Mrs. Braunstein noticed the table centerpieces in the classroom as soon as she entered the classroom. Each table has a name: the “kindness” table, the “integrity” table, the “courage” table, the “loyalty” table, and the “honesty” table. With inspiration from the table centerpieces, Mrs. Braunstein and the students composed a song about things that make them feel grateful. The children also made their own guitars and performed the song.
I’m Grateful
I’m grateful for Thanksgiving.
I’m grateful for friends.
I’m grateful for food and family,
And love that never ends.
I’m grateful for a world that’s spinning,
And skies of white and blue.
I’m grateful for everything,
Most grateful for you.
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Each year we focus on one of the four pillars (Kindness, Respect, Responsibility, Honor) throughout the school year. This year we will explore Kindness as a theme. Students were given the opportunity at the start of this year to enter a poster contest with Kindness in mind. They were challenged to create a poster featuring this message: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop
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A very special award for Extreme Kindness was given to Owen S. (Grade 2) during last week’s Wednesday Assembly by Mrs. Frantz and Mrs. Stakem. Owen went above and beyond during Gymes Summer Camp to help and welcome new students. Way to go, Owen! Your Grizzly kindness goes a very long way!!
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Our Dogwood Village friends continue to be the source of great happiness for second grade students. Though we haven’t been able to visit them in person as we did in past years, students have been DELIGHTED to receive letters from the Dogwood Village friends. The letter and gift exchange has been a highlight of the year. Here’s a peek at a handful of the messages sent around the holidays. We look forward to exchanging more and getting to know our friends even better throughout the year!
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Kindergarten students learned a few facts about the Arctic and discovered how ice has dendritic motivation during the cold months of winter. Ice branches out and students created their own ‘branch like’ work of art.
