Friday, May 22, 2015

Reflecting on The Davis Journey

Today Nate Artzi shared the following remarks at our annual 5th Grade "Moving Up" ceremony. He perfectly captures the many different types of experiences that make being a Davis student so meaningful. 

When the fifth grade teachers asked me to write a speech about my elementary school moments, I immediately started thinking. Memories started running through my mind like sprints at P.E.
       Some of you may not know this, but I spent my first two school years at Woodland Elementary which is just two miles away, but seems like a different world. Although I was in school with my mom, Woodland didnt have the comfortable feeling that embraces you when you walk through the doors of Davis as the teachers greet you with shouts of Boker Tov, good morning, nice haircut!
       Once you enter those doors, you know that even if you have a test, or your least favorite subject. Even if its hot dogs for lunch, CTP4 testing, or even if you accidentally wear red on Friday, you know that what ever fun activity you have next will take your mind off of it.
       Maybe that day you will have your second grade technology party or get your very own siddur. I remember my mom and all of the other moms crying as we sang Rabbi Micahs famous This Is My Siddur. Maybe it is the day that Ariot teaches you the letter reish. Remember Bina singing the aleph-bet song?
       Or maybe that day that didn't start off so great was the day that you get to show off your skills at the third grade wax museum, or shout Eureka! as you pan for gold on the Dahlonega field trip. Maybe you get your family friend, Mrs.Friedman, as your teacher and she reads Because Of Winn Dixie as we all choke up. Or you get to switch classes for science and social studies. Or this could be the day of the how-to projects as you teach the class how to ride a bike, like I did.
       Maybe this day that started off with the Wahsega bus breaking down turned into an awesome experience in the woods reenacting colonial life. Maybe its the day you have science with the much anticipated Mrs. Richin and watch Bill Nye, or one of those days when our class succeeds in getting Ms. Patterson completely off topic so shes telling us about when she was in school at Davis. Or even a day when someone says something that reminds Mrs. Silverboard of a song from the 80s. Then she plays it and we laugh about an album cover from a funny looking band with weird hair called Mötley Crüe. Maybe its the one day you got to do patrol when you were a fourth grader. Remember how cool you thought that was?
       Just maybe, its Yom Haatzmaut and Pepe handed you a warm freshly grilled pita. After covering it in Israeli chocolate spread and powdered sugar you drop it on your new white shirt. Sorry Mom! So even if your day starts off with a dirty shirt, maybe its also the day that Mr. Frank makes funny faces in the window as your teacher is going through the fascinating new reading strategy in extensions. Maybe its the day when you finally finish the Tamar book in Hebrew, or get to keep reading Number The Stars until almost everyone in the room feels like crying, including your teacher.

        So even if your day at Davis doesnt start out so great, you will most likely finish that day with a smile on your face. Just remember that even your worst day at Davis is a good day. Hopefully middle school will be the same.
       Shabbat Shalom. 

No comments:

Post a Comment