Above: First grade shares a Thanksgiving meal together on Christian Heritage Day, 2019.
The priority StoneBridge School places on Thanksgiving stands apart from our society today. During the Fall months, stores stock the aisles with spooky Halloween decor and then immediately change to Christmas lights, trees, and stockings. Thanksgiving has become a forgotten or under-appreciated holiday. Yet StoneBridge intentionally pauses to celebrate the beauty and importance of the season through praise, service, and thanksgiving.
The Thanksgiving season is a key moment for all students, employees, and families at StoneBridge. Our beautiful community comes together to reflect on the Biblical principles found in this holiday. During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, the StoneBridge community focuses on giving back to God and praising Him for the blessings He has given us.
Mrs. Lisa Martin, a beloved teacher and high school girls’ mentor, sees Thanksgiving as a special time to share with loved ones.
“Life has a way of becoming hectic, especially around the holidays,” she said. “My family is such a vital part of my life. Thanksgiving Day allows my family, all of us, to stop the busyness and fellowship together.”
Students at StoneBridge celebrate the spirit of the Thanksgiving season through service. On the last day of school prior to the holiday break, Upper School students traditionally participate in acts of service for the school. This year, they are helping to support the annual Christian Heritage Day celebration.
Christian Heritage Day is a StoneBridge tradition where the community gathers to show how God worked through the history of our nation’s founding years. During this day, Upper School students are also given the chance to serve as student aids and station helpers and leaders for the Lower School as they participate in entertaining and educational activities throughout the day.
Senior Julianna Torres shared how StoneBridge has always kept the Biblical principles found in Thanksgiving the main focus.
“They encourage students to reflect on the gift of friends and family during thanksgiving and I love how they implement these factors into our annual Christian Heritage Day,” Torres said. “Families are able to celebrate our nation’s history with their children, teaching them how America came to be and reflecting the Biblical principles it was built upon,” Torres added.
Christian Heritage Day helps students to reflect on God’s providential hand moving through not only the history of our nation, but through our personal lives. Despite the culture around us that minimizes the importance of Thanksgiving, StoneBridge chooses to celebrate the goodness of God, learn from our history, and serve one another whole-heartedly.
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