“She contacted her current teachers, got references, ordered her transcripts—all on her own!” Lorraine shared. “All the pieces fell into place beautifully and any obstacle was quickly resolved. She was so solid in her thinking that we started to realize this must be right for her.”

Lorraine explains more about the evolution of her own thinking in a way that hits home with any parent: “It’s often difficult to know how best to support our children’s growth. As a parent, I’ve always prayed for the guidance to do the right thing and have tried to instill this in my children. My husband and I genuinely love our two daughters’ company and the opportunity to teach and guide so it was not an obvious choice for us to let our youngest daughter go to high school halfway across the country. But our daughter was very clear in her thinking and rationale and the application process was so natural and seamless that I had nothing left to say but ‘okay.’”

A month after dropping Emily off at school, her parents came for family weekend and saw just how right their decision had been. Lorraine exclaimed, “It all hit me in one fell swoop—there was no better place for her to be! The teachers were capable, attentive, and set a high standard. The dorm staff was a perfect extension to our parenting. The coaches had just the right blend of toughness and principle-centered competition. And the level to which Christian Science was incorporated into the daily experience was unquestionably the basis for all the good evident at the school. As hard as it was for me to leave following family weekend, I knew we had made the right decision.”

Lorraine adds that the high caliber music and theatre program was the “deal-maker” for Emily. “She never would have tolerated a school that didn’t have the best of the best.”

Three years later, during a gratitude session before graduation, Lorraine was one of many senior parents who shared what a Principia education has meant to their families. She summed it up by saying, “Most of all, it’s about a solid foundation. When Christian Science is the foundation of your school, you can’t help but be on solid footing. I see it in the kids. I see it in the adults. They’re all coming from the best possible place—a position of spirituality—and that’s as good as it gets.”

You can read more stories of gratitude from parents of this year’s graduates at http://www.principiaschool.org/admissions/parent-gratitude.

As Principia School students head off to summer camp, family vacations, and outdoor adventures, the time is ripe to reflect on all the good activity that has marked this year as one of outstanding growth and progress, from our youngest pre-schoolers to our graduating seniors. We invite you to enjoy a slide show that captures all the fun, challenge, and accomplishment of a year at Principia School. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this is summer reading at its most enjoyable!

The 2010 Upper School track team consisted of nearly 75 student-athletes from freshmen to seniors—some with extensive competitive experience and others relatively new to the sport. After weeks of races and hours of devoted practice, 21 Upper Schoolers (11 boys and 10 girls) qualified to compete at the Missouri State High School Track & Field Championships. In the end, the Principia boys placed 2nd and the girls finished 12th among Class 2 schools. “It’s easy to focus on our performance at State since that’s the last measure of success for the season,” Coach Jamie Bollinger says, “but the countless examples of our athletes achieving more than they ever thought possible is just as significant.”

Senior and three-event State qualifier Larry Patterson “paved the way for many other Upper School athletes to realize they could run fast too,” says Bollinger. At State, Larry finished 5th in the 200-meter, 3rd in the 400-meter, and 2nd in the 4×400 relay. Dedication, humility, and leadership (along with numerous broken School records) are his athletic legacies.

Other athletes also left their marks. When senior Aean McMullin first shifted from tennis to track, he wasn’t sure he even enjoyed running, yet he ended his high school career as one of the fastest milers in the State, placing 4th. “It’s been a privilege to watch Aean grow into an accomplished runner,” Bollinger comments. “I’m not sure he’s even aware of how good he can be.” Similarly, senior Clayton Harper moved from another spring sport (baseball) to track. His budding interest in hurdles last year turned into hard work and personal bests this year. Clayton finished 3rd in the 300-meter hurdles.

On the girls’ team, senior Stephanie Romero and junior Liz Gilman also led by example, qualifying for three events apiece at State. During her time at the Upper School, Stephanie expanded her racing events, taking 2nd place in the 800-meter at State. Liz Gilman took on the difficult event of pole vaulting while also competing in the middle distances. “I remember Liz (as early as last year) telling me that she was not going to run and that I couldn’t make her run,” Bollinger recalls. “Well, she was right, I didn’t make her run—she learned to love it on her own and is on her way to becoming one of the best 800-meter runners in the State.”

This was a season to remember for far more than its memorable wins. Growing spiritually, achieving what seems impossible, and dedicating one’s self to progressing day after day united track teammates and coaches. “Working with student-athletes like this and seeing the wonderful progress they are so eager to make is the reason I can’t wait to come to school each day,” Bollinger eagerly shares.

(Pictured above are Principia’s 1st place finishers in the 4×800 relay. From left, Cooper Stock, Ross Furbush, Aean McMullin, Austin Holmsley.)

The concept of a “talking museum” wasn’t new to the School. A similar project had been done before with sixth-graders. Elmgren-Carlson decided to dust off the idea when assistant teacher Sherry Myles mentioned the project as a highlight of her daughter’s Lower School years. “I wanted students to understand that art is not only a noun (an object); it’s a verb (the creative process),” Elmgren-Carlson explained. “Art is not far away and long ago—a picture framed in gold hanging in a quiet gallery.” Instead, it’s alive!

Elmgren-Carlson collaborated with fifth grade teachers Heather Schier and Sherry Myles to help each student select an artist, research his or her life and work, prepare a presentation, and create a replica of one of the artist’s great works. Once the writing, drawing, color mixing, and painting were completed, each student was outfitted with a costume to take on the persona of the artist or a character from the artwork.

When visitors arrived at the museum, each character delivered a short presentation about his or her artist and the work on display. A few artists occasionally stepped out of character to perform chamber music on the piano or flute while the guests milled about and chatted about art, creating an authentic museum experience.

Along with the fun of the event, Elmgren-Carlson was enthusiastic about the learning results. She shared, “The students learned that art comes alive through the observer, just as the listener creates the musical experience. I think they also felt very validated as artists themselves.”

Her hope is that the children will see art (and art museums) with new eyes. In the future, when they visit a museum perhaps they’ll say something like, “I wonder if I’ll see anything by ‘my artist’ here. I know a lot about Claude Monet. We go way back.” All the way back to fifth grade.

Weekly theme-based sessions (beginning with “Pirates!”) from June 7 to August 27 will offer children from age four to sixth grade a variety of new program options. For example, mini-clinics in soccer, basketball, and tennis will be led by Athletic Director Travis Brantingham, Assistant Athletic Director Shad Nichols, and Middle School Director Alyssa Henn, respectively. “These clinics will focus on actual athletic skill development in each sport adjusted to the playing levels of the children,” Dennett explains. Similarly, certified instructors will offer structured swimming lessons at various skill levels, as well as recreational aquatic activities. The all-new “Spotlight on Drama,” led by Liesl Patterson, Upper School theatre teacher, will give children opportunities to explore the dramatic arts and participate in performances. And, of course, arts and crafts, music, outdoor games, fun with nature and science, and weekly field trips will continue to be important parts of the program.

Another exciting addition this year is Theatre Arts in Focus, a half-day middle school session from 1:00–5:00 p.m. for students entering grades 7–9. Under Liesl Patterson’s direction, students will choose their own activities in playwriting, acting, lighting, set/prop design, and stage crew. Each Friday, the students will put on a show for the community, possibly charging a small admission fee that will be donated to a worthy organization, or performing for community groups as part of a summer-long community service effort. Middle schoolers will also have plenty of time for games, swimming, and all-around summer fun.

For parents, perhaps the best new feature is the affordable price—$150 per week for full days and $100 per week for half days. With only a couple of days before the program launch, this summer’s co-directors Connie Dennett and Patrice Saad urge interested families to register now.

The all-new Summertime Discovery program begins on Monday, June 7. Come for a week, a month, or until school starts and discover how much fun the summer can be!

After generating a list of several ways that funds could be raised, the Council—comprised of students in grades one through five—decided to do a used children’s book sale. Communications went out to all Lower School families to donate books they were willing to pass along to others. From picture books to chapter books, the sale inventory grew. Students and parent-helpers organized the books and managed the cash box for the two-day sale. “There were some pretty cool books there,” said a third grader. “For only a dollar, I bought a chapter book and an awesome Star Wars book with tons of cool pictures in it.”

There were plenty of satisfied shoppers, and when it was all said and done, $278 was collected. Using The Christian Science Monitor as a reference for determining where the money should go, students all agreed to make their donation to the American Red Cross Haitian Relief Fund.

“This event blessed people in three ways,” said Moyle. “It raised money for Haiti. It re-circulated children’s books among Principia families. And finally, donated books that weren’t sold were given to a local organization that supports abused women and their children.”

For more than two decades, Prin Giving Day has provided the opportunity for Upper Schoolers to serve others. This year was no different. Students served meals at the Sunshine Mission homeless shelter, cleaned chairs at the Butterfly House, cut down honeysuckle at Queeny Park, gave manicures to residents at Sunrise Assisted Living, and played with young children at the Crisis Nursery.

Coordinating nearly 250 students, faculty, and staff, while balancing the needs of more than one dozen organizations was no easy task, but sophomore Connor Savoye and senior Lauren Furbush were up to the challenge. “Lauren and Connor did a beautiful job putting together the day,” remarked Philanthropy class instructor, Bob Yeates. “They worked tirelessly, even providing an orientation session beforehand.”

Senior Casey Lee was excited to visit the Crisis Nursery. And while it was certainly a memorable day for her, it meant everything to one of the boys she met. Seven-year-old Caleb and Casey had a lot in common—especially, a love of baseball. That made for the perfect partnership as upper schoolers and Nursery residents teamed up for a scavenger hunt and picnic at the park. “It was lots of fun,” shared Casey. But that’s not where this story ends. Shortly afterwards, a beautifully decorated envelope arrived for Casey with two drawings from Caleb—one picturing them together and another that included the message, ‘I love you and miss you.’ “I’m keeping these on my desk to look at,” says Casey. “I miss him, too. Receiving the drawings made me feel so good and thankful that I had the chance to spend time with him.”

Yeates says it’s typical to hear praise from the organizations where Principia’s students volunteer and acknowledges this as a clear example of the loving attitudes displayed (and felt). “It is a really unique day,” shared Connor. “As Lauren and I were planning this, we realized that no other school does stuff quite like this. It’s special, and it’s a great chance to give back. For me, it’s the most rewarding day of the school year, and I think it has a special place in everyone’s heart.”

It is our pleasure to announce that Kevin Ward has taken first place in the district competition, earning a $2,500 scholarship award from the International Optimist Club. Congratulations, Kevin!

Click here to read the article.

Lower schoolers were captivated by this playful, audience-participation song led by musician and artist Alex Cook, who recently visited Principia School and College to share his unique spiritual message. In the final verses of the song, the children were invited to shout out “anything in the universe” (including birds, monkeys, and monster trucks), and Cook would improvise a response, concluding with the song’s deceptively simple message that people are created by Love, or God, in order to love.

After launching his artistic career as a painter, Cook became deeply interested in the power of murals to spiritually impact large numbers of people. He has worked with youth and community groups of all types to produce public murals that express the beauty and richness of life. In 2008, he directed a public mural project for the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, entitled “Consider the Lilies.” As described on his Web site, “the project involved painting with hundreds of community members and passersby over a one week period” during which 14 murals were created to enhance subway stations, youth centers, and other community spaces throughout Boston.

An artist who transcends the boundaries of a single discipline or style, Cook also writes and composes music, has recorded five CDs, and two years ago, dedicated himself to creating music that “expresses what it feels like to be loved by God, living, exploring, and growing powerfully as His child.” He explained this simply and beautifully to the young students as “God is singing a song, and we are the notes.”

For a week in April—in the midst of his second music tour—Lower School students benefited from having Cook as a visiting artist-teacher. Each class participated in creating a school mural with two intertwining themes developed by the students themselves—the joy of childlikeness and love for the environment. They were also treated to a concert of energetic, joy-filled music including Cook’s first rap song, “Walk on the Water.” Cook also gave a concert at the College and a talk about creativity as an expression of spirituality.

You can listen to Cook’s music including his new CD, The Tree of Life, and explore his paintings, drawings, murals, and writings at his Web site www.stonebalancer.com.

The speeches were convincing, clever, and creative. Among the cyber-pitfalls cited were Internet addiction, fraud, cyber-bullying, crime, obesity, anti-social behavior, pornography, and security and privacy issues. “It [cyber-communication] makes it too easy to seem like someone you’re not,” one student warned. There were just as many students, however, who touted cyber-communication as the most positive cultural phenomenon since the printing press. These students spoke about great advances in personal communication, business, economics, education, and of course, shopping—all due to the expansion of cyber-communication.

From the group of seventh and eighth graders, nine students were chosen to speak again in front of a second group of judges comprised of four middle school teachers. These judges selected five students—Madison Arens, Maddi Demaree, Emelie Fredrikson, Ben Swank, and Kevin Ward—to represent Principia School at the club-level Optimist competition. From there, three students—Madison, Kevin, and Emelie—advanced to the regional contest. Although competition was stiff, Principians Emelie Fredrikson and Kevin Ward were chosen as finalists by the Optimist judges and will now advance to the district competition on April 24, competing for the opportunity to win a $2,500, $1,500, or $1,000 college scholarship. Congratulations middle schoolers!