Celebrate You Day

(The following message was also sent by School Messenger on Friday May 31)

Hello Billy Green Families!

As you know Friday May 31 was our first Celebrate You Day! It was a day where students were invited to come to school in anything that showed their unique selves to the world. Much of today was about our school focus on “Be You Be Excellent”: our tagline that reminds us about how each of us can be ourselves and do excellent things.

In our school community on Friday, we saw so many symbols of pride for how each student sees themselves and the symbols that represent their lived experiences. Some students showed their unique selves as hockey players sporting their hockey equipment and favorite jersey. Other students sported their favorite shoes that make them feel at ease. Other students wore symbols of achievement such as medals, ribbons and more. What was truly special about today was the beauty through which every student was able to be themselves and share themselves. There was such pride as students shared stories about what they wore and how they wore it. It was a day where we learned to listen and understand differences in a manner that honors the many lived experiences in our Billy Green Community.

Some of the visual symbols we saw were:

Henna: a reddish dye prepared from the dried and powdered leaves of the henna tree.[1] It has been used since at least the ancient Egyptian period as a hair and body dye, notably in the temporary body art of mehndi (or “henna tattoo”). In some cultures, it is used for celebrations as a symbols of prosperity and fortune

Kuffiya: A long black coat worn by the Arabs and the Kurds with an embroidered waist belt. It is a traditional dress and often used as part of celebrations.

Fez: The fez, also called tarboosh/tarboush, is a felt headdress. The brimless style of the fez allowed the wearer to easily touch his head to the floor during the daily prayers practiced by Muslims. The earliest versions of the fez were encircled at the base with a long turban, though this style was abandoned when the hat was adopted for use in Turkey.

Saree: a traditional garment that has been a part of Indian heritage for centuries. The saree is not just a piece of cloth; it is an expression of a woman’s identity, grace, and elegance.

Dhoti: a garment worn by male Hindus, consisting of a piece of material tied around the waist and extending to cover most of the legs.

In a world where difference often divides, I was proud to see our students model how difference makes us richer at Billy Green.

Friday was a day where we truly lived how to “Be you Be Excellent”. Let us continue to learn from one another as we share ourselves with one another so that we can live excellence.

Sincerely,

Ms. S. Beatrice