December 18, 2021
Dear NLS Community,
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Earlier this week, we lost a legend in the field of education – bell hooks, the feminist scholar, author, poet, and social critic. hooks – who spelled her name without capital letters to draw attention away from her name and towards her ideas – made an indelible impact on the practice of teaching and the pursuit of social justice.
I bring up hooks’ passing because her memory and legacy dovetail precisely with our mission at Northern Light School. bell believed that education was an expression of love, one that affirmed the dignity and rights of children, and encouraged them to actualize their potential. hooks also saw love as an act of resistance against those forces in our society – racism, sexism, even “adultism”– which silence the voices of those without the privileges of wealth, power, and status.
You see that kind of deep, radical love every day at Northern Light School, whether students are working in their Rainbow Groups to donate goods to Homies Empowerment as part of our 2nd Annual Donation Drive, or learning the hidden properties of magnets and electrical currents in Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Jeri’s science classes.
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You feel the power of love in the way our teachers help children celebrate diversity, whether it’s through lessons on human rights and gender inclusivity in the middle school, or virtual trips to distant counties and creative journaling in our lower school classrooms. |
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Most of all, you feel a genuine expression of care in the voices of students themselves, who dream not just for themselves, but the world:
"Some of my dreams for the world are for all people to be treated fairly. I also dream that there is no gun violence. I dream that the ocean is clean and there is no pollution. I dream that everyone spreads peace, like we do in our dance for our holiday concert."
– Taylor James, 3rd Grade
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Ann Maier Giving Tree – Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebration
The dance to which Taylor refers was one of the highlights from our Ann Maier Giving Tree Holiday Celebration, hosted at NLS just a few days ago. The event featured majestic performances from our choir, powerful reflections from alumni, and an angelic dance performance performed by our students to the accompaniment of John Lennon’s Imagine.
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The evening was an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Ann and Cornell Maier, who, through their compassion, service, and care, made such a lasting impact on NLS, and the world.
As we head into the holidays, we thank everyone for practicing that form of love and care which make the world a warm and welcoming place for young people. As hooks herself noted,
"A generous heart is always open, always ready to receive our going and coming. In the midst of such love we need never fear abandonment. This is the most precious gift true love offers - the experience of knowing we always belong."
We couldn't agree more.
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