Each year at Mountain Song, we embrace the vigor of Autumn by celebrating our in-school Festival of Courage. We mark this seasonal change with songs and stories of characters who prove their bravery in bold yet gentle ways. We draw attention to the subtle and stark changes in our environment: the mornings and evenings are chillier now; some bushes and trees show vibrant red and golden leaves among the green ones. Just last week the trees that line 29th Street near our school were completely green, and this morning the tips of those leaves were bright yellow. There is change happening, and we humans are a part of it.
So, we gather the golden light and strength of the late summer sunshine and move forward with courage toward the colder, darker months. The image of a dragon often represents the fear that we must conquer within ourselves. We certainly are all faced with difficult decisions and fear in life. This festival invites children to gather their courage to accomplish the challenges they face.
The culmination of our Festival of Courage occurs on Friday, October 1st. On this exciting day, our Games and Movement teacher, Mrs. Denise Neal, with the help of faculty, students, and Parent Council, creates an obstacle course in which every student in grades 1-8 has the chance to conquer fears and demonstrate courage! The obstacle course provides fun, physical challenges for students to overcome, all in the spirit of the Festival of Courage.
Upper grades will perform songs and movement pieces led by our music teacher, Mrs. Deanna Bray, that echo the courage of brave souls. The Kindergarten children will hear stories and sing songs related to bravery. They will also don golden capes, crowns and beads in celebration of the vibrant season. At the end of our Festival, each class will receive a basket of apples to enjoy. The apples are symbolic of the harvest season and are given as a reward to the students for overcoming obstacles and facing their fears. We look forward to bringing this treasured celebration at Mountain Song Community School to all of our students!
