Sandpoint students count their blessings
—Photo courtesy TRICIA SULLIVAN A Sandpoint Waldorf School kindergartner works on her turkey picture. SWS students recently took time to write down the things for which they are grateful.
—Photo courtesy TRICIA SULLIVAN Lilah Wassif and Emery Evans, Sandpoint Waldorf School kindergarteners, and Stephanie Lawrence, SWS kindergarten assistant working on turkey drawings.
—Photo courtesy TRICIA SULLIVAN The turkey drawing by Julien Baker, a kindergarten student at Sandpoint Waldorf School. SWS students, from kindergarten through the eighth-grade, recently took time to write down the things for which they are grateful.
—Photo courtesy TRICIA SULLIVAN Sandpoint Waldorf School kindergartner Adria Ousley works on her turkey drawing, usig real feathers to make the critter come to life.
SANDPOINT — Family, friends, and good food.
Loved ones gathered together from near and far, around a table, snuggled on a couch, talking, eating and laughing. Enjoying a feast of turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, a smörgåsbord of savory and sweet treats lining the countertop waiting for their turn on the table.
Laughter, stories of days gone by and special moments fill the air. After dinner, football games and holiday classics make their way onto the TV screens as families gather close.
And, while the specifics may vary from family to family, from home to home, the spirit of Thanksgiving — the gratitude and thankfulness for all our blessings and all they entail — carries from one area to the next, from one family to another, filling the country.
For students at Sandpoint Waldorf, the list of what they are grateful for is as varied as the students themselves.
Their pets and family? Most definitely on the list for many.
“I am very grateful for many things, but most of all my family,” writes sixth-grader Lark. “My amazing parents who I love more than anything, my fabulous sister who I also love more than anything, and all my aunts and uncles, cousins and second cousins and cousins once removed, all five of my grandmas (including step and great grandmas) and my three grandpas (step included.) Thank you all for being in my life. I will love you forever.”
Favorite foods? Again, they make a frequent appearance on the students’ list of things for which they are grateful.
Others’ list reflected their love of a particular sport or team, some a favorite memory. Some, once started, had a list to which to aspire, such as that offered by fifth-grader, Berkley, who expressed gratitude for everything from family and friends to warm clothes and food, from knitting needles to hot cider and pencil sharpener, and more.
Others aren’t as specific in their Thanksgiving hopes, offering an all-encompassing wish such as the one offered by kindergartener Emi, “I am thankful for everything under the sun and moon.”
Some, like sixth-grader Jacob, said they are thankful for new adventures. “I am grateful for moving here from Ireland because it was good to see a change of space,” he said. “It was fun, minus the flight, but I very much enjoyed it.”
So, below, the students of Sandpoint Waldorf School share what the many things for which they are thankful. We are happy to share them, once again, with you.
Thimbleberry
kindergarten
Lilah — “I am thankful for being able to play with my squirrel friends.”
Emi — “I am thankful for everything under the sun and moon.”
Xina Pearl — “I am thankful for ice skating and hot cocoa at night and skiing with my friend, Rowan.”
Cora — “I am thankful for turkey dinner.”
Athena — “I am thankful for having turkey with my mom’s family.”
Jaclyn — “I’m thankful for jumping in the lake and that I’m 5.”
Adria — “I’m thankful for my dog Husker who protects me.”
Emery — “I am thankful for tubing on the lake and skiing.”
Winslow — “I am thankful for snow to ski on.”
Marin — “I am thankful for my teacher floating down the river with me.”
Daniel — “I am thankful we have chicken to eat and for my brother to play with.”
Rowan — “I am thankful for snow and hot cocoa.”
Lila — “I am thankful for playing with my sister and sledding down the hill and spending time with my family.”
Huckleberry
kindergarten
Bryson — “I’m thankful for all my friends. I love school.”
Phoebe — “I’m grateful that my parents are alive.”
Madelina — “I think you are really good teachers.”
Ava — “I’m grateful for the teachers in our school.”
Elsa — “I’m grateful for pink slippers.”
Elizabeth — “I like when my mom makes cake on my birthday.”
Deacon — “I really am grateful for my dogs.”
Ellie — “I’m grateful for my teachers.”
Cruz — “I’m grateful for my cats.”
Eden — “I’m grateful for my teachers and my cats.”
First grade
Nathan — “I am thankful for the Earth.”
Liam — “I am thankful for family and friends.”
Cairn — “I am thankful for family and the animals.”
Hanna — “I am thankful for family and pets.”
Alex — “I am thankful for my cousins.”
Olivia — “I am thankful for Roger (my cat) and my brothers.”
Jacob — “I am thankful for the Earth.”
Cody — “I am thankful for the Bible.”
Maryah — “I am thankful for friends and family.”
Opal — “I am thankful for friendship.”
Sage — “I am thankful for friends and family.”
Zoe — “I am thankful for friends, family and pets.”
Henry — “I am thankful for the USA.”
Emilia — “I am thankful for everything.”
Noah — “I am thankful for family, friends, pets and God.”
Sierra — “I am thankful for the whole world.”
Second grade
Owen — “I am grateful for the turkey and all the yummy food.”
Isabella — “I am thankful for my teachers and my brother and my parents, and friends.”
Anonymous — “I am thankful that I get to see my cousin baby Gabriel and I’m thankful Ms. Weiler was my teacher for Eurythmy.”
Larisa — “I am thankful for my mother and my father and my sisters. My baby cousin and my dog and our old dog that died and my friends.”
Calem — “I am thankful for my family and friends and Henry Ford for inventing cars.”
Tracen — “I am thankful for my family and food and friends.”
Josie — “I am thankful for the school I am in and the teacher I have.”
Oscar “I am grateful for the teachers here, my family, my dog and my friends.”
Polina — “I am thankful for my family and plants, and I am thankful for my friends and for having a dog because I really wanted a dog.”
Third grade
Aaron — “I am so grateful for all the food and when I can smell the food up in my bedroom when I am working on my volcano or working with copper.”
Vaughn — “I am thankful for dad and mom, pottery work and Kim and Ms. McNamara.”
Hazel — “I am thankful for my cat and my fish. I am grateful for my mom and dad and my sister and I am thankful for the whole world.”
Reese — “I am thankful for my dog and cat, Makala and Kitty.”
Callahan — “I am thankful for my dad, my mom, my sister, my teacher, my house, my two cats, my friends, my car, my pens and paper, my farm, my food, my water, my ball, my bike, my grandma, my grandpa, my tree house, my clothes. Gobble, gobble.”
Liran — “I am grateful for my life and my parents and my family and food.”
Hana — “I am grateful for life, a home and my parents and water and riding and nature and the view and forests and birds and animals and food.”
Charlie — “I am thankful for my beautiful woods and the deer that walk on the forest floor and the pileated woodpecker knocking on the trees and my chickens, dogs, ducks, goats, and my quails. I am also thankful for love and this yummy dinner.”
Lily — “Thank you for the trees and the grass. I am grateful for the food and family and this world and music and water.”
Kiera — “I am thankful for the trees and the beautiful nature that surrounds me and the world. I am grateful for family that loves and surrounds me with happiness. I am grateful for the food that feeds me and the water that refreshes me. The music that lights me up from head to toe.”
Hannah — “I am grateful for the world and the food and my family. Happy Thanksgiving Day.”
Miles — “I am grateful for my family and I am grateful for sports.”
Clarity — “I am so grateful for my family and my hamster.”
Justice — “I’m thankful for my mom and dad and for all they do for me.”
Brady — “I am grateful for my mom and dad and teacher. I am grateful for nature. I love football.”
Ellie — “I am grateful for my life and living things and all things big and small and nature and all my teachers and my family.”
Camille — “I am thankful for life and the world this Thanksgiving.”
Madisen “I am thankful for my teacher Mr. Seifert and parents and trees.”
Jasper — “I am grateful for the whole world being friends.”
Hope — “I am grateful for my life. Happy Thanksgiving Day.”
Fourth grade
Isabelle — “I am thankful for family.”
Solace — “I am thankful for life.”
Lena — “I am grateful for my mom and dad and everything they give me.”
Aiden — “I’m thankful for soccer and also skiing.”
Ivy — “I’m grateful for nice clothes, plants, trees, soccer and books.”
River — “I am grateful for fishing.”
Porter — “I am very grateful for my lovely parents. I also love my cute dogs. I am also grateful for my school.”
Isadora — “I am grateful for soccer.”
Max — “I am thankful for skiing and snow.”
Miles — “I am grateful for the trees and our community, also Schweitzer.”
Ivan — “I am grateful for Schweitzer.”
Henry — “I am grateful for skiing.”
Fifth grade
Kaiya — “I am thankful for my family and my friends. I’m thankful for the good food I have to eat and good water to drink. I’m thankful for my warm bed and my animals.”
Ani — “I am thankful for my mom, my dad, Miles, Ms. Shaffer, Maggie, all my friends, food, water, our house, warmth, cold, paper, pencils, pens, music, paint, animals, earth, sun, moon, stars, wood, time, maps, birthdays, parties, doctors, our luck in this world, field trips, vacations, dentists, pets, holidays, books, picnics, restaurants, thinking putty, coats, jackets and much more.”
Mya — “I am thankful for my parents, my teacher, my classmates, my dogs and fish. There is so many other things that I am thankful for but these are the main things.”
Kasten — “I am thankful for my mom, my dad, my sister, my dogs (Ruby and Symba), books, salt, pepper, thinking putty, Ms. Shaffer, my class, my big property, my friends, my cat, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, hot sauce, cheese, fruit, vegetables, turkeys, cranberries, mashed potatoes, the Carolina Panthers, and soccer.”
Berkeley — “I am thankful for my family, my teacher Ms. Shaffer, my friends, my dog Greta, my house, firewood, the earth, music, warm clothes, medicine, food, water, books, snow, pencils, paper, moss, rocks, farming, agriculture, candles, school, holidays, chalk, North America, violins, time, the sun, the moon, knitting needles, yarn, sheep, cows, cats, goats, math, sticks, movement, strings, angels, God, trees, bushes, berries, hot cider, tea, Buddha, leaf presses, pencil sharpeners, lotus flowers, sunsets, sunrises, my eyesight, electricity, exercise, and my 10 years on this earth.”
Ada — “I am thankful for my teacher, my friends, hope, change, challenges, my school, air, beauty, people, clouds, plants, dreams, ideas, eyes, water, stars, moon, sun, birds, beaches, snakes, flowers, squirrels, passion, smiles, laughing, color and PIE.”
Neva — “I am thankful for the food and water, paper, the earth, rocks, everything on earth, my parents, my family, pencils, colored pencils, trees, grass, bark, all animals, violin, birds, pine cones, moss, school, friends, salt, pepper, thinking putty, pencil sharpeners, books, crayons, my class, coats, clothes, drawing, shoes, toothbrushes, hair brushes, plants, instruments, time, clocks, bowls, plates, forks, spoons, my bed, soup, blankets, binders, all art supplies, all life, happiness and of course, my teacher Ms. Shaffer.”
Terra — “I’m thankful for my mom, dad, sister, food, water, all my animals, Ms. Shaffer, plants, paper, pencils, and all my friends.”
Briar — “I am thankful for the earth, trees, my mom, dad, my little brother, the sun, the moon, everything on the earth, and of course my teacher Ms. Shaffer.”
Katya — “I am grateful for my family and my dog. I am grateful for food, water and a warm house. I am grateful for my school, my friends, and my teacher.”
Nina — “I am thankful for my family, my friends, shelter, food and water, dogs, education, school, the ability to move, talk and think, to have fun, and to live in a clean environment. We should all be thankful.”
Grace — “I am thankful for my family, food, air, water, animals, a warm home and my awesome teacher Ms. Shaffer.”
Katelyn — “I am grateful for my dog, my cat, my family, my friends, plants and trees, geography, food, water, pencils … and ICE CREAM.”
Ethan — “I am thankful for family, good weather, my dog, cat, and chickens. I am also thankful for books, sisters, food and running water.”
Sixth grade
Payton — “I am grateful for my friends, family and animals. I love how friends and family bring challenge, fun and love. I am grateful for animals because they bring hardship, strength and friendship. I am also very grateful for sports that I love: basketball, lacrosse, cross country, track, baseball, soccer, volleyball and horseback riding.”
Owen — “I am grateful for the sports: football, basketball, lacrosse and tennis. I am also grateful for all of my family and all of my nice friends.”
Meghan — “I’m grateful for teachers who help us learn, friends that give me support, sports to keep me alive and well, for money that we can buy things that we need.”
Lark — “I am very grateful for many things, but most of all my family. My amazing parents who I love more than anything, my fabulous sister who I also love more than anything, and all my aunts and uncles, cousins and second cousins and cousins once removed, all five of my grandmas (including step- and great-grandmas) and my three grandpas (step included.) Thank you all for being in my life. I will love you forever.”
Kysa — “I’m grateful for my loving grandparents that support me with everything I do. I’m grateful for all of my friends and family. I’m grateful for all of my teachers who help me learn. I’m grateful for laughter because it means joy.”
A.J. — “I am grateful for my family, life, challenges and friends.”
Jarrah — “I am grateful for football and basketball. I am so grateful that I get to go to such a nice school and have everything I need.”
Boston — “I am grateful for my parents and everything they have done for me, my dogs for how happy they make me, and my friends Payton and Darby who make the good times better and the hard times easier.”
Lola — “I am grateful for my family because they are always there for me. I am grateful for love because it helps me get through rough times. I am grateful for food, air and water because if I didn’t have those items, I wouldn’t be here right now. I am grateful for friends because they make my day awesome. And last but not least, I am grateful for life because if I didn’t have a life, I wouldn’t have any of the things I am grateful for.”
Priya — “I am grateful for the opportunity to go to my amazing school and have such an awesome education. I’m grateful for my new dog Grizwold because he is very sweet and loving. I’m grateful for my teacher, Ms. Kietzman, for all the work she puts into teaching me. I’m grateful for my parents and family who care for and support me. I’m also thankful for my awesome friends who support me. There are lots of things to be grateful for.”
Tivon — “I am grateful for my dad, Tony, and my mom, Bri, for my cousins, Alex, Austin, Hayden, Bronson, Brakson, Brennen, Brooklin, Brody, Briton, Sady, Lily, with two more on the way. I am grateful for my uncles Seth, Ryan and Cameron. I am grateful for my aunts Sarah, Amy and Bri. I am grateful for my grandparents Marge and Geo. I am grateful for many other things that I will not mention on this page, but I am still grateful for them.”
Jacob — “I am grateful for moving here from Ireland because it was good to see a change of space. It was fun, minus the flight, but I very much enjoyed it. I am grateful for having a new house and a new school. It’s like my old one, but with a different Waldorf name.”
Maile — “I am grateful to live in such a beautiful, safe town and go to a wonderful school.”
Aiyana — “What I’m grateful for: my family, having enough food and water, a roof over my head, warm clothing. The reason why I’m grateful for these things is because some children don’t have families and are all alone on streets and don’t get the food they need. What I’m trying to say is most people have very hard lives and I should be happy with what I have in my life.”
Seventh grade
Anonymous — “I am grateful for family and friends.”
Della — “I am extraordinarily grateful for my amazing education, my crazy and supportive friends, and the roofs over my head.”
Lukas — “I am thankful for friends.”
Kylie — “I’m thankful for old friendships, my education, my family and my abilities and strength.”
Mackenzie — “I am thankful for life.”
Anonymous — “I am grateful for food on the table and a roof over my head and to be able to play basketball.”
Anonymous — “I am thankful for the clean air in Sandpoint.”
Liathan — “About two months ago I was hit by a car and was told that if I didn’t have a bike helmet I would be dead. I am grateful for my life not everyone is as fortunate as I am. I am grateful for my friends and my family who were there helping me and I am grateful I live in a safe supportive community.”
Mira — “I am thankful for my family and friends, the wonderful town I live in, my incredible school and most of all my life.”
Anonymous — “I am thankful for the splendor of natural beauty here in Sandpoint.”
West — “I am thankful for a shelter over my head and a bed to sleep in and I’m thankful for food. Yum.”
Eighth grade
Tom — “I am grateful that my relatives are coming for Thanksgiving and my loving family.”
Darby — “I am thankful for food. We sometimes take food for granted, some people don’t have food.”
Blake — “I am grateful for friends, family and food.”
Alena — “I am thankful for snow and for my family and friends and also for my teacher, Ms. McGowan, and for my school. I am very grateful for my parents and that we have a nice home, enough food and clothes. I am grateful for life and animals and nature and rain and music and education. I am grateful for America and the entire world and for world peace.”
Charlie — “I am thankful that I am seeing my brother on Thanksgiving.”
Reese — “I am grateful for friends, family and food. I’m also grateful for life, music, books, games, electronics, animals and crafts.”
Hattie — “One of the many things I am thankful for is all my family that lives in Sandpoint and all their love and support. I am also thankful for a roof over my head, my school and my brothers.”
Nadine — “I am grateful for my family and food.”
Nikolai — “I am grateful for my life.”