Parent Portal
The Willow School’s Earth Day Celebration was a vibrant and hands-on experience, emphasizing environmental stewardship and community connection. The day began with Morning Gathering led by our preschoolers whose presentation “One Seed” is an annual tradition of acting out a story telling how one seed can create beauty in the world. From there, students across all grades participated in meaningful projects on and off campus.
Stewarding our own Willow grounds, preschoolers spread mulch, kindergarteners partnered with third graders to collect trash and worked on transplanting seedlings for their upcoming plant sale. First graders cleaned up the stream and woods, clearing brush and leaves so that the water in the stream could flow unimpeded. They also clipped prickers and branches blocking the path around the pond.
Off campus, second and fifth graders visited Raritan Headwaters at Fairview Farm, where they explored aquatic ecosystems and tackled invasive species removal. Fourth graders contributed by planting at Cold Brook Farms.
Our middle school students traveled to Matheny and Willowwood Arboretum, where they participated in campus clean-up efforts. At the Willowwood Arboretum, students participated in a hands-on demonstration on how to properly plant nursery trees—including how to handle tree balls—and then planted black gum saplings to support the arboretum’s conservation efforts.
All of these Earth Day projects reflected Willow’s deep commitment to experiential learning and environmental care. Students engaged not only with the land but also with one another, learning the value of cooperation and stewardship.
The day concluded in true Willow tradition—with the school community coming together for the beloved Sword Dance Ceremony and community songs, in which the community celebrated the Earth, each other, and the impact of the collective efforts by Willow students and teachers.
Want to join the Willow community? Start a conversation with our Director of Enrollment Management, Lisa VanderVeen, to see how your child will thrive at Willow.
