Gooden Blog

This past week, our middle school students traded their classrooms for the great outdoors as they headed off on their annual overnight science adventures. They had wonderful opportunities to explore the natural world and learn through hands-on activities, but I suspect some of the most important lessons had little to do with science.

They learned to navigate new experiences, solve problems, strengthen friendships, and become a little more independent. Sometimes, the greatest growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones.

Watching our students return from these trips got me thinking about what makes a Gooden education so special. Certainly, strong academics and the many opportunities we provide are important, but I believe it’s how all of these experiences come together that makes the greatest difference. We challenge our students academically while also encouraging them to discover their interests and talents.

One of the things I treasure most about our small TK–8 community is the opportunity to watch children grow over time. Our teachers know their students not just as learners, but as individuals. Our youngest students look up to the older ones, and those older students gradually become the leaders and role models they once admired. There is something incredibly rewarding about watching a child who arrived as a shy kindergartner leave us as a confident, capable eighth grader.

Of course, none of this happens without an intentional focus on character. Our guiding principles — Respect for Self, Respect for Others, and Respect for the World — are woven into daily life at Gooden. We want our students to be not only strong scholars but also kind friends, thoughtful leaders, and compassionate members of their communities.

Sometimes, the best examples of these values come in the smallest, most unexpected moments.

Just this week, I overheard a group of middle school students working on a math escape room challenge. The teams were competing against one another, and one student asked to borrow a calculator from someone on the opposing team. A teammate quickly objected, “Don’t give it to him! It’s a competition!” Without missing a beat, the student holding the calculator responded, “It’s called kindness.”

I couldn’t help but smile. In that simple exchange, I was reminded of what we are really trying to teach our students. Yes, we want them to work hard, challenge themselves, and enjoy a little healthy competition. But we also want them to understand that kindness and compassion should never take a back seat to winning.

This year’s theme, “Be the Light,” reminds us that even small acts of kindness, encouragement, and service can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. And sometimes, being the light is as simple as sharing a calculator with someone on the opposing team.

When I think about our middle school students returning from their science adventures, I think about all the ways they are growing. Yes, they are learning science, but they are also learning to be independent, persevere, support one another, and see the world with curiosity and wonder.

That is what a Gooden education is all about. We are preparing students not just for the next grade level or the next school, but for life.

Great Minds, Gooden Hearts. It’s more than a saying. It’s what we strive to nurture in every child, every day.