End of Year Events in Edgemont

June has finally arrived bringing the end of classes and many exciting events at all three Edgemont schools. In addition to finals exams, projects and mandatory New York States Regent exams there are also art exhibits, trips, parties, and even a day when the kids travel 200 years back in time.

The month kicked off on June 1st, with the AP Art exhibit and the high school senior awards ceremony, where dozens of awards are handed out to students in all four grades. It is a wonderful evening where families, students and faculty come together to celebrate the academic, athletic and community achievements of students. On June 2nd, the Spring Sports Awards were handed out to all the students who participated in modified, junior varsity and varsity spring sports. Then on Monday, June 6th, the EHS Filmmaker's Club will present their first film, Budget Cuts, at 6:30 and 7:30 pm, in the school's auditorium. On Tuesday, June 7th, the high school will host Open Mic Night. Performances will starts at 6:30 pm. Finally on June 8th, classes will officially end at the junior /senior high school and final exams start on the following day.

Over at the elementary schools, the 6th graders will take off for a week's adventure at the annual outdoor camp. Sixth graders at both Seely and Greenville attend a weeklong camp that is all about making friends with kids from the other elementary school before both grades combine at the junior high in September. It's a great week full of outdoor fun; everything from hiking to nature scavenger hunts to orienteering to outdoor cooking. Custom offerings this year will be nature sketching and yoga. This is the 57th year that the 6th graders will attend 6th grade camp.

In the lower grades, the kindergarteners at Greenville celebrate their end of year by having a family picnic on June 17th where kids and the families gather on picnic blankets outside to enjoy a beautiful lunch together. On the same day, the first graders host their annual "Donuts with Dads" where everyone brings in their fathers and grandfathers to enjoy breakfast together. The kids all take turns reciting special poems written about their fathers. The first grade also hosted "Muffins With Mom" in May where mothers and grandmothers enjoyed their breakfast with the kids. The second graders celebrate their end of year with a trip to the Bronx Zoo. And one of the most exciting June events is the annual Colonial Fair celebration for the fourth graders at the Greenville School, when the grade travels back in time and spends an amazing day living in the colonial times.

The junior high kids will celebrate their end of year on June 8th when the whole junior high heads for the school fields for their annual field day event. The two grades are broken up into teams identified by matching color t-shirts and have a fun-filled afternoon playing crazy sports games against each other. Earlier that day, students will be recognized for special achievements at the junior high awards ceremony. The seniors at the high school celebrate their upcoming graduation at the Senior Prom, which this year will be held at the Surf Club in New Rochelle on Friday, June 10th. Another annual June tradition is senior video night on Wednesday, June 15th where seniors gather with faculty to enjoy dinner and view a dvd of special moments of the past year. Each senior goes home with a copy of the dvd.

The weeks leading up to graduation are marked with special yearbook distribution times at all three schools when everyone who ordered a yearbook gets their yearbooks and spends time looking through their memento-filled books and kids and teachers sign everyone's yearbooks. It is customary at all three schools to include pictures of every child in every grade in each school's yearbook so many families start their yearbook collections when their kids are in kindergarten and purchase the keepsake every year.

Finally, no month of June would be complete without the graduations and moving up ceremonies. All three schools will have their ceremonies on Thursday, June 23rd. Grenville will kick off the day at 9 am, followed by Seely Place at 11 am, ending with the senior high school commencement at 6:30 pm. Everyone is hoping for a sunny June 23rd this year. Congratulations to all the graduates.

Pictured at top: Fourth Graders at the Colonial Fair