by Mike Davis, Ph.D.
Head of School

One of my all-time favorite Colorado Academy traditions launched anew this week. It is one that fosters growth, responsibility, and friendship among students, and the impact is long-lasting. It is the school’s signature program that pairs a Kindergarten student with high school seniors, and there are activities that nurture that relationship throughout the year. “I have seen this program change Seniors' lives,” says one Kindergarten teacher.

 

The Seniors and Kindergarten students regularly sit together at all-school assemblies, they decorate cookies at Halloween, they read together and share projects throughout the year. The bond between the students is strong, and many seniors reflect on the program as a highlight of their year.

 

Several years ago, we sat down with three generations of buddies.  Lower School music teacher and alumna Nora Golden (CA 2000) was a senior buddy to Jessika Mozia (CA 2012) . As a senior at CA, Jessika was a senior buddy to student Leah Robinson (CA 2024).

 

“I felt protected, loved and cared for when I was with my senior buddies in Kindergarten. I remembered always being so excited when my Senior buddies came to pick me up because it was like they were my older sisters,” Jessika told us. “And I loved picking Leah up for assemblies and seeing how I made such an impression on her.”

 

Golden said she, too, remembers walks to the Kindergarten classrooms to pick up Jessika for assemblies. That will happen again for the first time this year as Seniors and Kindergarten students sit together at today’s Homecoming assembly.

 

Said Nora Golden, “As a high school student I found I got more out of the assemblies by seeing it through the eyes of a five-year old. I also remember receiving a hand-written note from Jessika, and some CA goodies arriving in a care package during in my first few months of college. It was a great connection back to CA.”

 

What researchers say about traditions like this is that they provide strong foundations in what is otherwise an unpredictable and uncertain world. And no matter the age of a student, or of an adult for that matter, the reliability and safety of cherished traditions anchors us to one another, and to tomorrow. 

 

Click here for a look at what transpired this week when the students met their buddies.