Gooden Blog

Next week, October 5–9, The Gooden School will join Episcopal schools across the country in celebrating Episcopal Schools Week. It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate what it means to be an Episcopal school and to reflect on the values that shape our community every day.

The Gooden School is proudly rooted in the Episcopal tradition, but being an Episcopal school does not mean that everyone in our community is Episcopalian, or even Christian. In fact, one of the things I value most about Episcopal education is its commitment to welcoming people of all faith traditions, as well as those who do not identify with a particular faith.

At Gooden, we see this spirit of welcome in our chapel services, in our classrooms, and in the way we encourage students to ask questions, listen to one another, and learn about traditions and perspectives different from their own. Our goal is not to tell students what they must believe, but to help them become thoughtful, compassionate people who recognize the dignity and worth of others.

Our Episcopal identity also calls us to service. Service is not something we do only on a designated day or during a particular project. It is part of who we are. At Gooden, that calling is beautifully reflected in our Three R’s: Respect for Self, Respect for Others, and Respect for the World.

This year, that calling has an additional meaning through our school theme, “Be the Light.”

Being the light does not require a grand gesture. Our students can be the light when they notice someone who needs a friend, stand up for what is right, help without being asked, care for our campus and community, include someone who feels left out, or simply offer kindness when it is needed. Light is found in those everyday choices.

That is one of the great gifts of an Episcopal education. We want our students to grow academically, of course, but we are equally committed to helping them grow into people who understand that their gifts can and should be used in service to others.

As part of our celebration next week, we will once again create a prayer chain on the fence, a tradition we began last year. Throughout the week, students, families, faculty, and friends are invited to stop by and tie a ribbon to the fence representing a prayer or intention. Ribbons may be added for blessings and gratitude; family, friends, and pets; peace and unity; our community; or health and healing. Whether you think of your ribbon as a prayer, a hope, or simply something you are holding in your heart, you are welcome to participate.

As the ribbons gather throughout the week, they will become a beautiful visual reminder of the many people, hopes, and intentions that make up our Gooden community. Each ribbon is small on its own, but together they create something meaningful and full of light.

As we celebrate Episcopal Schools Week, I hope each of us will consider a simple question: How can I be the light for someone else?

If our students leave Gooden understanding that their knowledge, talents, compassion, and voices can make the world a little brighter, then we have accomplished something truly meaningful.

That is what it means to Be the Light.

And that is the heart of Great Minds, Gooden Hearts.