World Travelers at Rainbow

World Travelers at Rainbow

With its holistic learning environment, and our research-based methods to elicit creative and critical thinking, many wonderful families have become part of the Rainbow family.

New this year to the school is Duncan, a rising second grader. His younger brother Raleigh will attend the Rainbow Community School Pre-school beginning in November when he turns three years of age.

Duncan’s family is relocating here from Ireland.

Along the way, however, they’re making a few stops. They have traveled to Dublin, Amsterdam, London, and Los Angeles. They will make one more stop in the historic Washington, D.C. just before settling in Asheville and beginning the school year.

We look forward to Duncan sharing his experiences with his classmates as he begins second grade. In fact, his experiences will add a lovely flavor to our global initiatives program!

We’re also very excited that Raleigh will be joining our community in November, too.

Welcome to our family!

students traveling

Duncan, a rising 2nd grader, in Amsterdam.

Rainbow students in Britain

Duncan and Raleigh in front of the British Museum

Geronimo Owen in the Play Henry V

Geronimo Owen in the Play Henry V

Henry V

Geronimo, on the right

It’s always exciting to hear about what our alumni are doing.

Geronimo Owen (a ’13 Rainbow graduate) has two roles in Henry V, a play by William Shakespeare. He plays Boy as well as Duke of York.

He was pleasantly surprised when he got these roles, never having acted before.

The play happens from June 6-28, 2014. It begins at 7:30 pm Friday-Sunday at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in Asheville.

For more information, head over to Montfordparkplayers.org or call (828)254-5146.

“I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot;
Follow your spirit: and upon this charge,
Cry — God for Harry! England and Saint George!” 
― William ShakespeareHenry V

Shakespeare

Kathy Clarke – RCS Alumna – Meets Madeleine Albright

Kathy Clarke – RCS Alumna – Meets Madeleine Albright

RCS Alumna Clarke

Kathy Clarke, ’08 RCS Alumna

“Rainbow caters to success.”

She also knows what she wants to do with her life: be a writer. And she’s pursuing her dream with gusto.
She’s already doing two internships related to her passion – one in publishing, and the other helping with the publicity for a Macalester professor publishing a book of poetry.
Before she arrived at Macalester, Kathy attended the prestigious Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, where her writing talent earned her the coveted “class orator” title.
This honor led to one of her proudest accomplishments so far: sharing the podium with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who delivered the commencement speech.
“I actually walked away from graduation with six awards, and so I was pretty proud of myself,” Kathy recalls. “But then Madeleine Albright came up to me after graduation and said, ‘You must be a rock star!’ I might get that as a tattoo—‘You must be a rock star!—Madeleine Albright.’ That’s something I never want to forget.”
Kathy’s talent at writing emerged at an early age: even before she could read she had shown a passion for the written word.
“My parents joked and said that I was going to write the Great American Novel before I could read,” she says: “I would scribble on pieces of paper and put them together and then read them to people as if they were words.”
As it happens, one of Kathy’s favorite memories of her time at Rainbow also involves writing.
While she was in the Omega program, her teacher Susan Waddell would sit with Kathy at lunch and let her student write on her computer.
She wasn’t the only teacher who did this, Kathy says: William Harwood would also just let Kathy go and write on his computer. She regards this time as vital to her development. “I experimented with a lot of just writing fiction.”
But Rainbow gave Kathy more than free time: the individualized attention she received helped a motivated student become a self-motivated student.
“I remember one assignment where Susan had us describe a beautiful place and she gave us a list of adjectives we couldn’t use—but then she gave me an extra list of adjectives, and that was really fun.”
Kathy received this sort of personalized challenge again and again. Her teachers, she says, “paid individual attention to me, which made me pay individual attention to me and not just go through the motions of school.”
Rainbow also gave Kathy the freedom to develop—at her own pace—a work ethic and a sense of purpose. “We got a lot of free time. And that really helped me learn to motivate myself.”
More than anything else, though, Kathy now appreciates the difference Rainbow’s emphasis on self-discovery has made in her academic career.
To start with, learning to trust herself allowed her to choose Mercersburg over the other options (some closer to home) that presented themselves. “You need to know yourself first before you make big decisions like that, and then when you do you will make the right one.”
And even at a prestigious private school, knowing herself gave her an edge. “Coming out of Rainbow, I was so much more advanced than even my high school classmates at knowing who I was and knowing what I wanted and what I needed. It was a kind of learning and a kind of growth that caters to success in a way that traditional curriculum doesn’t.”
2014 RCS Omega Graduation – Speeches and Ceremony

2014 RCS Omega Graduation – Speeches and Ceremony

omega graduation

Our graduates – June 2, 2014

Each year, we send off bright young men and women to start their high school careers.

Every graduating student writes a speech and stands in front of their Rainbow family – parents, staff, and students – and gives us a glimpse of what his or her experience has been like at Rainbow.

These speeches are at once eloquent and erudite, comical and entertaining. Each student beautifully demonstrates the learning they have done, honoring their school year and community with their wisdom.

The graduation ceremony began with a sacred tradition we have here at Rainbow: a Centering.

The Omega (7th and 8th grade) students led this part of the ceremony. The video below shows the centering – it’s part of what makes Rainbow so special.

Afterward, our eighth grade graduate, Nitara was the first to give her speech. She revealed how much she’s grown and learned during her tenure at Rainbow. She will be attending Carolina Day School next year.

Next was Andrew, with his insights on how to achieve success and advised everyone that life is what you make of it, and that no matter what you must try. Andrew will be attending Asheville Christian Academy.

Francesca followed, sharing her experiences in Omega, how she found her teachers to be amazing. She felt like she really became part of a family when she came to Rainbow, especially during her experience in Omega. Francesca will be attending SILSA for the next school year.

Our wonderful Lily went next, recounting her memories of her time at Rainbow. She attended this school for 12 years and always felt like the Rainbow community was a second family. We will miss Lily, too. She will attend Asheville High School.

Later, Justin came up, explaining how his Omega experience has changed his life and tells about the friends he’s made. His experience has truly Omega has changed his life forever. Next year, he will attend Carolina Day School.

Bella was next, sharing some observations that she’s made and how they have provided some powerful lessons – such as learning from your mistakes and life is short – we should all live it to the fullest. She will also attend Carolina Day School next year. Bella received the prestigious Merit Scholarship from Carolina Day, given to only five students each year.

Gwyn started her speech with a Peter Pan quote about “never saying goodbye” – because here at Rainbow, we don’t say goodbye. We say, “We’ll see you soon and we will never forget you.” She will attend SILSA next year.

Michael is “moving forward” and this isn’t goodbye – it’s a new beginning. Ever since he started at Rainbow in third grade, breaking his wrist at the class potluck, he came to realize that his teachers and friends became his second family. He will attend Carolina Day School next year.

Xena, who attended Rainbow for 11 years and calculated how much time she spent at Rainbow in hours, days and months – this was the place that became her home away from home. She’s leaving, as a bird who learns to fly, from the protection of her nest. She’s going to explore the big world outside. Xena will attend Carolina Day School.

Hannah told everyone about how Rainbow helped her to blossom and how much she felt welcomed by the community. She will attend SILSA next year.

Mikayla recounted her experiences at Rainbow – her love of her teachers and how they accept their students for who they are. Mikayla will also attend Carolina Day School.

Finishing up the speeches was Zoë – with her passion, love, warmth and drive to make the world a better place – within her speech was a magical, captivating story that everyone must hear – with such emotion and strength, the entire crowd was moved with her words. She will attend Carolina Day School next year and she also received the Highlander Award, given by the Head of School at Carolina Day to only one exceptional student each year.

The eighth grade graduates sang a song for the Rainbow Community. It’s called Home by Phillip Phillips:

This graduation ceremony was a success. We wish only the best for our graduates and we know that they will find success in all of their future endeavors.

 

Photo and video credit: Cynthia Calhoun

Alumni Tell Their Story

Live link, click here to watch video: Rainbow alumni panel

Thanks to the Rainbow alumni who gathered to talk about transitioning from Rainbow Mountain to high school and college.  You are all so amazing.  Everyone who attended was impressed with your maturity, articulation, and big hearts.  We know you are all very busy and your time was a gift.

Amazing Alumni Demonstrate Life Long Learning

Amazing Alumni Demonstrate Life Long Learning

In 2012, seven seniors graduated from high school who previously attended Rainbow Mountain.  Four graduated in June from Asheville High — all 4 were in the top 10 of their class and National Merit Scholars.  One was Valedictorian.

The full list of awards and scholarships in academics, sports, character, the arts, and extra-curricular areas these alumni received is literally too long to list and describe in this report — it would require at least this whole page!  Here are some highlights:

Paris Sigler is attending American University where she received their Frederick Douglas Scholarship.  Shannon Waldman is attending Warren Wilson where she received their Service Scholarship.  Valedictorian, Melissa Haun, was accepted into the music program at University of Miami.  Devin Hanaway received the John B. Lewis scholarship for soccer and was accepted at Chapel Hill.  In addition to these four who graduated in June, Kaya Greenfield graduated early and is at Appalachian State.

Of the two students out-of-state:

Dylan Glasgow, a USTA-ranked tennis player, helped the Barron Collier High School tennis team win the Florida State Championship, graduated with honors, and is now attending Appalachian State.

Kathy Clarke was the single most awarded senior at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania.  She was also the editor of a nationally award-winning literary magazine and speaker at their commencement.  The next speaker at the podium that day was Madeline Albright!  Kathy will be attending college at Macalester in Minnesota.

How Rainbow Prepares Our Children for High School and Experiences Beyond Rainbow

Rainbow's graduating eighth grade class May 2008 became the graduating seniors of 2012