Students celebrate Orchard Day, longtime Tenacre tradition

This morning Tenacre students celebrated Orchard Day, a longtime tradition in which students honor the sixth graders in the Phyllis Scoboria Orchard. This tradition was started in 1953 by then-head of school Phyllis Scoboria as a student-only celebration in which students honor students. Orchard Day is a highly anticipated event that is not announced to students until the morning of Orchard Day: when students arrive at school and see Orchard Day cakes in the front foyer, they know the day has finally arrived! The celebration starts with first graders planting their class apple tree in the Tenacre orchard with help from their sixth grade Big Friends. After the tree planting, kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, and fifth graders present tributes that have been planned by each grade. Tributes often include poems, chants, or songs that have been written by students. Pre-kindergarteners ended the event by leading the whole school in the singing of the “Tenacre Song.” The ceremony ends with cake on the playground.