125 Favorite Things About Grace
As Grace Church School enters its 125th year, it is important to reflect on the traditions that have been built since its opening. While many of the people, activities, and customs have changed over the years, plenty of unforgettable memories have been shared by all. To kick off this momentous year, we asked 125 students and teachers one important question: what is your favorite thing about Grace?
Junior Kindergarten
“Having play dates with my friends”
“Playing on the slides”
“Veggie Chips”
“Going to Chapel”
“Drawing, toys time, and playtime”
“Reading books with my book buddy”
“Everything”
“Rest”
“Our teachers”
Kindergarten
“The roof”
“Halloween”
“I like my 4th grade friends”
“I love P.E.”
“Big yard and little yard”
“I love art with Mr. Hawkins”
“Taking the subway”
“I love chapel”
“Nothing, also playgrounds”
1st Grade
“I love that it’s big”
“All my friends”
“Recess”
“The free library”
“I love doing free time and also recess; also music and dance”
“Art”
“Seeing my friends and playing with the toys”
“Homework”
“The spirit and the griffin”
2nd Grade
“That it’s fun to learn”
“Free time”
“That you can make a lot of friends”
“Recess”
“I like to see my cousins and brother”
“Having friends”
“Playing Lincoln Logs”
“That all my friends are here”
“That there are awesome teachers”
3rd Grade
“The church and the yard”
“It’s fun here”
“All of the plays and events”
“The people that help you figure out problems”
“Learning history”
“The feeling of kindness when I enter the classroom”
“The lunches because the tacos and pasta and garlic bread are amazing”
“My classmates and teachers”
“The family that got built here in the last 125 years”
4th Grade
“I think Grace is good because of the stained glass windows”
“I like how in Grace there are no bullies”
“The empathy of the Grace teachers”
“I love Roots of Empathy where babies come in, and we research them and see them grow”
“Grace is a good school because it is an organized school”
“Recess, yard, gym, snack, library, and free periods”
“I think Grace is good because you learn tons of things and the things aren’t boring”
“Grace is good because it teaches something that most schools forget: love”
5th Grade
“I like Grace because everyone is kind and you can make many friends”
“I love the ice cream”
“I like tutorial because if I have any questions about the homework or a project the teacher is in their room, and they can answer my questions”
“That it is very educational and open for anybody”
“I like that we don’t have so much homework that we stay up till 1:00 am”
“The grades are all teams, and they work together”
“I like that there is a balance between the relaxing time and the curricular periods”
“The teachers are all nice and inspiring”
6th Grade
“My favorite thing about Grace is that they hire nice teachers”
“That we have independence”
“All of the diversity and we all work together as a team”
“Everyone is so friendly and kind to others”
“The community and the feeling of being in my second home”
“My favorite thing about Grace is the community because they will pick you up when you fall and help you through it all”
“I think how we learn is super cool”
“My favorite thing about Grace is that there is equipment in school to play with and to work with. That means that Grace is a privilege to go to and I am thankful to go here”
7th Grade
“The diversity and openness to everything”
“Grace is special because of the unity from within the faculty to the student body”
“The people are always so welcoming and kind and don’t hesitate to make you feel welcomed”
“The great community”
“Grace has a great learning experience, and I always have a lot of fun”
“The great faculty”
“Grace is an amazing school for its community filled with passionate and loving people that will be in all our lives forever”
“I think that Grace is an amazing school since the community and atmosphere is amazing. I hope someone reading this in 125 years still thinks the same”
8th Grade
“My favorite thing about Grace is the sense of community”
“I feel safe here in the very inclusive environment”
“My favorite thing about Grace is my friends”
“I love the thoughtfulness of the teachers. They always come over-prepared with lesson plans unmatched by any other schools. I find that I learn more every year, more than I ever would if I went to any other school”
“My favorite thing about Grace is how people don’t judge you when you mess up”
“My absolute favorite thing about Grace is the friendly and supporting environment within the school”
“My favorite thing about Grace is the people at the school”
“The best thing about Grace is my friends that I have made throughout my years here”
9th Grade
“The people and the community”
“The teachers”
“I like how there’s the church, but it’s open to everyone”
“I like how everyone’s friends in different grades”
“Sports”
“I like the access to technology”
“The amount of classes and the liberty given to the students”
“I like the inclusiveness, having not come from the middle school it made it a super easy transition”
10th Grade
“With the schedule and how unique it is”
“Athletics”
“The cafeteria food is really good”
“The Cross Country team”
“That I don’t have to go to P.E. if I play a sport”
“The community”
“The food”
“The fencing team”
11th Grade
“The faculty being willing to support everyone”
“Boys Volleyball”
“The neighborhood”
“That I can have a double lunch”
“Lab Day”
“The camaraderie”
“That we get to come in at 9”
“José”
12th Grade
“The amount of choice in what you’re able to learn about”
“I like how the teachers like to have fun in their classes”
“The 4th floor basketball court”
“The students and teachers are very personable”
“The food”
“All the extracurriculars”
“The people”
“SSRs and SSAs”
Teachers and Faculty
“The faculty that I work with”
“The autonomy to creatively educate and respond to the needs and curiosities of my students”
“Being greeted by José and Daron”
“Grace has created an atmosphere built upon open minds, ever-evolving visions and based on the foundation of tradition”
“The friendly faces everywhere”
“I appreciate the history of the church and the sense of community it builds”
“Things my students teach me”
“All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small”