FBSR

An opportunity for old classmates to reconnect

Background Information

When people go their separate ways after a chapter in their story ends, what can often happen is that they lose touch with each other. Each person has a very busy schedule and are moving forward with their lives. However there is something special about reconnecting with old friends and revisiting memories. This value inspired this CLP. This CLP was meant to provide an opportunity for old classmates to stay connected, catch up on each other’s experiences, and have fun. This CLP was to be hosted at Far Brook School in Short Hills, New Jersey. Far Brook is really a special place where class sizes are small and middle school is not all about academics. Close bonds are formed between students, faculty, and across grades. An inevitable strong connection to the school is built. The body of student alumni have many opportunities to get involved with Far Brook life after they graduate, however, a chance where a class can reunite exclusively and simultaneously is not often. This CLP would bring back this sense of community and simultaneously make an impact on the same community that has already given so much.

 

Implementation of Project

The FBSR project was started in the summer of 2019.  A small group of friends proposed the original idea by a small group of friends, who offered their support of the event.  After that, an email was drafted and sent to the head of alumni at Far Brook School explaining the background and intent of this project and the request to set up a meeting. During this initial meeting, the idea was finalized, permission was granted, and the date was set. The next steps were to plan the details and send out the word. In the beginning, it was frustrating because email responses would not come in weeks.  Some emails had to be sent two or three times in order to get a reply, however the persistence paid off once the details were finalized. As people started responding that they would like to attend the event, it started to gain momentum.

 

Results of Project

The event was on Friday evening and lasted three hours, with music playing the whole time and a pizza dinner in between.  There was a total of nine students who attended the event, with one teacher chaperone (the director of alumni).  Ever year as Thanksgiving approaches, Far Book has a food drive where non-perishable food is collected and donated to a food pantry. The goal was to take this food and arrange it into a creative display on the stage of the hall where morning meeting took place every morning before classes started. This was mainly for the kids to appreciate and to showcase the successful amount of food collected. In the end, the teamwork and collaboration between the nine of us and the feeling of accomplishment after the display was completed was heartwarming and rewarding. The follow up was a morning meeting presentation where two students introduced the project and the display in front of the entire school.

 

What’s Next

The hope of this CLP is to continue onto other alumni classes the following years. Hopefully the class of high school juniors at the time will carry out the same process in the years to follow.