Building community—one of our Quaker testimonies of the year—can come in many forms. For Serita Lachesis’ fifth grade class, students recognize members of the GFS community by writing thank you notes to anyone who has touched their lives or made a difference at school. From the nurses to security guards, students identify at least one person to thank and write them a simple note on an index card. Some children draw pictures and others share the simple words “thank you.”

“It makes me feel good and I hope it makes them feel good,” shared Lucy.

“Right now, we don’t have many opportunities to connect with people outside our class because of COVID, but this gives us a chance,” said Jaden.

“I hope it makes their day and I hope it makes them smile,” added Kai. 

The project has a number of benefits. Serita shared that this weekly time for reflection “makes people feel appreciated, shows that we support one another, and reminds the students that no one is invisible and everyone matters.”

Who would you thank at GFS?