Alumni & Community Stories: Oneness-Family School (OFS)

Boris shares his 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

I am a typical Oneness kid. After eleven years of entering through the same big blue front doors, I can say that with confidence. Nevertheless, when I joined the school, I was too young to make that decision myself. My parents made that choice for me, and I am grateful that they did. Being from Bulgaria, both of them saw a welcoming international community, an inspiring, unconventional way of learning, and a school that cares about what’s unique in each child.

Like a typical student here, I grew up with classmates from all over the world. From Switzerland and Sweden to Cote D’Ivoire and Brazil. From Texas and California to Nepal and New Zealand. With every year, I made connections to more and more corners of our world. Like many students here, I studied foreign languages. Estudió Español por más de ocho años, et j’ai étudié un peu le français aussi.

Like a typical student here, I grew up exploring the world and thinking in unconventional ways. At four years old, for example, I had to boil eggs in school. Not because my mom forgot my lunch (which did happen occasionally), but because I was testing their flotation for a science fair. I first learned to write in a sandbox. In the Arbor, I wrote weekly short stories about my quirky fantasy worlds. I built a rube goldberg machine in my bedroom while learning online. I researched Food Insecurity for Model UN and negotiated realistic solutions with fellow student delegates from around the world.

However, no student here is ever really typical. What makes Oneness special is that it fosters the unique strengths and abilities in every one of us.

Oneness has nurtured quite a few of my unusual side quests. The teachers here let me weave my hobbies into many assignments. I wrote my Genius Hour presentation on building a Desktop Computer. I wrote an excessively detailed Independent Study paper on Formula One. About that: I would like to apologize to the poor teachers who had to deal with my 20-page essay on ground effect and turbo-hybrid v6 engines. Also, I discovered my ongoing passion for music production and engineering here, and I have been able to pursue it in music classes, theater productions, and even for school performances. Here, I have discovered what makes me myself.

As I take my final steps through the big blue doors, my next years are full of change. I’m going to the biggest high school in Maryland, with over 3,000 students! The building’s bigger than most Bulgarian airports!! Will I make friendships as genuine as these here? Will I create as close a bond with my teachers? Will I be as inspired in my classes as I have been so far? 

I know one thing for sure. Oneness-Family School has helped me find the strengths I need to find my way.

Hawk shares his 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

Before I came to Oneness, I had been going to the same public school for 6 years, and though I didn’t hate it, I had almost no friends and would spend whole days barely talking to anyone. I also had a lot of social anxiety with talking to people and making friends.

When I came here, I told myself I would make an effort to communicate and spend time with my peers so I could look back at the time I spent at school with no regrets. I expected it to be incredibly hard and extremely uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. I would like to thank everyone in my class this year and last year for welcoming me and making it very easy to enjoy being with other people.

It made me so happy to be welcomed and included in a group of friends because I hadn’t been for a long time. It really helped me be more comfortable around other people, and I gained social skills that I will use in the future.  

I would also like to thank all of my teachers for helping me expand my boundaries for work, as I have been the most challenged I have ever been, which has helped me grow. I have also gained many work skills such as learning how to use my time better and being neater.

My time here has been extremely positive, and I no longer look at my younger life with disappointment that I didn’t miss out on making friends and being in a community at school. I will use the skills that I learned here for the rest of my life, all thanks to this school.

Alara shares her 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

My first day of school was right here in this building. Three years old, wearing my little light blue T-shirt with multicolored houses on it. I was placed in a classroom I had never been before with people I had never met. I was scared out of my mind, screaming in the halls as my mum dropped me off. To me at that moment, that classroom was the worst place on earth but nowadays I just call it the Sun Room. 

I gradually became very comfortable in this new environment, unaware of how deeply formative and important the next 3 years of my life would be. In that classroom, among many other skills, I learned the beloved state song, developed my love for the theater, formed friendships I still have to this day, and sang Conjunction Junction a disturbing number of times. 

As I moved through each of the classrooms, I discovered a new part of myself. I continued to perform for crowds. Whether I was playing Edgar in Aristocats or Fiona in Shrek, I was and am very consistent. I’m a nervous wreck before I step on stage, but as I take my final bow, I am distraught, realizing the show is over. 

This almost perfectly explains how I felt transitioning from classroom to classroom. I would enter anxious but quickly get extremely attached to my teachers and peers. Then, when graduation approached, I would mournfully depart as I transitioned into each new classroom. 

But luckily, whereas musicals end, I have learned that my connections, experiences, and time here at Oneness will never be over. This school is not only a great educational experience but a place where relationships and your well-being never come second. It is a place that allows you to grow into your own unique person. It is a place where you make friendships with the people you’d least expect. And after spending 11 years here, for about 10 hours a day, give or take, I believe I have the right to say this is the place where I found my second home when the first was out of sorts. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped make me the person I am today, preparing me for the next stages of my life. And since it feels weird to say goodbye, as I will probably be walking in these halls for years to come, I will say see you later. I am so grateful for the time I spent with you all. Thank you so much. 

Martin shares his 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

For the past 7 years of my life, I have been a student at 3 different public schools. There were 25 kids crammed together at desks in one classroom being taught by a single teacher. In 6th grade, there were 7 different subjects that were taught in intervals of 45 minutes with only 5-minute transitions in between each class and a 25-minute lunch break. Every. Day. It was exhausting. I hated school. The noise, the repetitive work, state testing, the mean people, it was all too much for me.

My mother noticed how exhausted I was getting, so she enrolled me at Oneness for 7th and 8th grade. She wanted me to have a new start. At the time, I thought that it was the worst decision she had ever made for me. I didn’t want a new start; change was my worst enemy, and I figured that it wouldn’t make a difference anyway. I thought it would be the same thing in a different place.

But it makes a big difference. From the moment I stepped into my new classroom, I was met with nothing but warm welcomes and smiles. There were two teachers, Pearl and Hannah, for a classroom of just 18 kids, and they were extremely caring and accommodating. They were always there when I needed extra help on an assignment or I didn’t understand math questions. Oneness has not only helped me academically, but it has also helped me build my social skills, efficiency with working with other people, and, most importantly, being who I am. I will carry these lessons with me for the rest of my life.

As I step out of the ambassador classroom as a student one last time, I will forever be grateful for the lessons I learned, the memories I made, and the friends I met and have made along the way. I have been a part of so many beautiful moments and I will cherish these memories forever.
Thank you.

Cheick shares his 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

My time in elementary school at a public school in New York was confusing. I found the classrooms suffocating because the walls felt really close together. The building was laid out with all the classrooms in a loop. After six years there, it felt like I was going round and round in circles. It wasn’t a very nice feeling, especially because of the 1st graders staring at me.

All of that was terrible, but the number one thing that I still remember was the career posters taped around the entire school. Because of that I thought it was time to decide my career for the rest of my life. This feeling of pressure continued throughout my time in elementary school.

When I came to Oneness, I was in the 6th grade. In my three years here, I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that I don’t need to know what I want to do with the rest of my life right now. I have learned to be patient with myself; I can try out things, see if they work for me, change my mind about how to do things and try again.

When I took my first theme test, I saw some of my classmates studying with giant stacks of notecards and thought I had to study that way, too. When that didn’t work for me, I had the chance to try out new ways to study and figure out my own strategies. I learned it’s OK to take risks and that I can be flexible and resilient when things don’t turn out the way I would like them to. Finally, I learned that I enjoy setting and accomplishing goals when I do it for myself rather than to please others. The environment here at Oneness has helped me learn these things.

Being a student in middle school has given me the space to explore who I am as a person and as a student. It has been a place where I have learned to look to my peers for inspiration but not to emulate them. You can only really be what you are, and what you are is yourself.

THANK YOU!

Ellie shares her 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

For eight years, I have watched class after class of eighth graders present their graduation speeches and thought, “Someday, that will be me.” I thought about this speech over and over again as I watched some of my closest friends get ready to leave for high school. 

When I had to finally write my own speech, I thought about the year I spent away during 5th grade, when my sister, my mom, and I moved to New Zealand. I loved being there because I got to spend time with my family, who I don’t get to see as much, and a lot of time with horses, but I have to admit I spent some time scrolling on Oneness’s Instagram on my mom’s phone and looking at what my friends were up to. I joined several Zoom community meetings and tried my best to keep in touch with my Oneness friends (despite the 8-hour time difference, which made that a bit more challenging). And whenever people asked which place I liked more, I would always say, “I love New Zealand, but I’d like it waaay better if it had Oneness.”

The thing that Oneness has that I was missing in New Zealand is community. I mean, there is community everywhere, but Oneness is a community where I feel like I know everyone, and they know me. Because of the focus on community, people get to know what is important to you, what you love, and where you can grow, and so they support and push you in all of these areas. Because of the community, people also know when you are having a hard time and are ready to support you in whatever ways you need. It’s not everywhere where your teacher will come to see your performances or visit you in the hospital. 

It is not everywhere where you and your friends show up for each other when you just need someone. Being a part of such a close community has given me many opportunities for me to show the same support and care for others. As a 3rd grader in Peace Arbor, I took on a lot of responsibility to help the new first graders and make them feel comfortable in a new environment. This made me appreciate leadership opportunities, and I have continued to embrace them, from the classroom to theater, to Montessori Night, to Montessori Model UN. These leadership experiences have been opportunities for me to be a part of building communities, and I look forward to helping create communities like the one I have found here, wherever I find myself in the future.

Thank you all for making this an amazing place. I love you all so much!

Felipe shares his 8th grade graduation speech, given on June 6, 2024.

I entered the Peace Arbor classroom (Grades 1-3) in 2018, when I was in third grade. As a 14-year-old, I am more than grateful for having had the privilege of attending the Oneness-Family School. 

The first few days I spent here, I realized, “I have never been this happy to go to school.” I had just left a public elementary school at the time, a place where I had many personal difficulties and little support from the adults. 

Over the next six years, I have grown in my confidence and my capability to manage myself. In my first year at Oneness, I was a very shy and nervous child. I was in a completely new school and a new environment, and I didn’t know anyone there. One of my most deeply ingrained memories of this was during the third-grade promotion, where I was so nervous that I decided to hide my face in front of the audience. Now here I am, presenting this speech to all of you. 

This school hosts many trips, and during these trips, I have learned how to push myself outside of my comfort zone. This was especially true for the New York trip in 7th grade and the one to Philadelphia just a month ago, where I had to be with my classmates and away from my family for nearly a week. In the end, it was all so incredibly worth it. 

I’ve learned so much from my experience at Oneness. One thing I learned is how to organize myself when doing my work, and from this, I have also learned how to keep an organized everyday life. This will surely be helpful for whatever the future has in store for me. The teachers here are incredibly encouraging and supportive of their students, and because of this, I have realized that I can do anything I want as long as I put myself out there and try. 

Before I close, I want to reflect for a moment on how special and unique this place is. I want to reflect on the experiences I have had here and the wonderful people I have met, something that would have probably been different at another school. I have become more and more confident in my time here, and I will use this confidence to guide myself through high school and beyond. I will miss all of you. 

Thank you. 

Antara shares her 8th-grade graduation speech, given on June 10, 2023.

Before coming to Oneness I was in an environment where we had to sit at desks and the teachers would come around criticizing our work. I remember how my teacher would constantly criticize my handwriting, “It’s too big.” She remarked, “It’s too dark.” “It’s too small and your spelling is wrong.” The criticism was never constructive, it made me feel small.

It’s different here. When I first joined the Arbor in third grade, the teachers were really nice, they would build me up and not bring me down. With this structure, I progressed in my writing skills. With the support of the teachers and the shiny new spelling books, I continued to grow in the Academy in my writing and spelling skills. In the Ambassadors I have grown in my comfort and confidence in math because of Pearl’s encouragement and support. 

In addition to growing academically, I have grown socially. I have come to understand people more and learned to imagine being in their place. I have also learned not to take people’s remarks too personally. In my six years at Oneness, I’ve made bonds with people I will never forget. From the first day in the Arbor classroom, everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Such a warm environment has given me the space to learn how to navigate challenges in my friendships.  

I’d like to thank my classmates and friends for helping me grow, laugh and smile. You guys made me feel happy, I will miss you.

For all they have done to help me grow, I’d like to thank all my teachers over the years. Madhavi, Robin, Shelby, and Kelly, thank you for helping me get used to the new environment of the Arbor and being encouraging and supportive. Malkia and Josh, thank you for making fourth and fifth grades so fun and staying optimistic even when we were online.  

Pearl, thanks for your hilarious remarks and caring personality, you always made sure I was ok, I will remember that kindness forever. Hannah, thank you for your patience and kindness. I admire your ability to always be calm. I love you all and you have helped me grow. 

Hans, Irene, Luis, Ahlam, and Matlyn, thank you for all that you do for the school and everyone in it. It would not be the same without you. Jackie, thank you for being patient and supportive in helping me progress in Spanish, Te amo. Andrew and Karen, thank you for creating and maintaining a safe place for everyone.

Finally, I’d like to thank my family. I love you so much and thank you for being there for me. My message to the Ambassadors is that I have a  treasure from this year – quotes, millions of them. I will look back at them and remember the fun times we had. Thank you for those memories.

Even though my student journey has ended at Oneness-Family School, I will always remember the things I learned here. This school will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you.

As an alumni parent, I have observed the magic of the OFS in many classrooms, from kindergarten through middle school. This is a school that embraces each child and nurtures them to become excellent people. I love the kindness creativity, festivity, and academics there. Lucky us that we found this place 20 years ago!

Our two oldest children Valeria and Lucian spent four years at Oneness-Family School. When we arrived in the US, they did not speak a word of English and also never lived abroad. Oneness-Family School was our support network from the very first day of school. It welcomed our children in a nurturing environment where each child was treated as a valuable part of the school, whose unique quality was the pursuit of the celebration of different backgrounds, cultures, and personalities.

Our children thrived academically and got supported in their specific interests every day. Valeria was able to write her first stories and poems and Lucian could follow his passion for animals. Our youngest daughter was born while we lived in the United States. Even though she was technically never a student, she was still considered to be a Oneness Baby and was part of the community.

The school culture developed invaluable skills such as self-awareness, listening, understanding, and supporting each other. Oneness went beyond and was also our family abroad. It provided us parents with a space where we could meet, share, experience, have fun and, ultimately, make friends for life. We had to leave the US and therefore also Oneness-Family School after four years but we are still a part of the Oneness Family even now. And for that we are forever grateful. 

To us, Oneness-Family School has been an extended family. Our children are young adults, but we see the influence of the School’s philosophy in their open-hearted approach to others, their love of the natural world, and the personal responsibility that they take for ‘transcending themselves’ each day. Our school experience supported us as a growing family and continues to be a source of inspiration. The School’s mission is a blueprint for how humanity can live harmoniously on earth, in concert with all beings.

— Kate & Dave Ebner, Alumni Parents

Our family was fortunate to be involved in Oneness-Family School since the early years. It has truly been a transformative relationship. 

After the girls moved on to high school and beyond, I had the privilege of serving on the Board for many years, working on a wide variety of projects. I always looked forward to our next adventure, the most recent one being the creation of the Oneness-Family High School. Throughout the ups and downs, it was always inspiring working in such a conscious, creative, and supportive environment. We approached every challenge, including the inevitable “problems,” with a positive, “can do” attitude. I guess that’s what Oneness-Family School is all about.

Peter Novick, Alumni Parent & Former Board Member

School founder Andrew Kutt said, “The journey of life is about being aware of the essence of who we are — and consciously bringing forth that essence in our daily lives moment by moment.

Our son Toks has been forever touched by Oneness-Family School’s holistic approach to life and education. It enriched and prepared him to successfully complete the rigors of a demanding high school and university in London. It prepared him for life. 

What Andrew and the school have contributed since 1988 is exactly what Margaret Mead was referring to when she said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Thank you, Oneness-Family School, for changing our world!

Mozella Perry Ademiluyi, Former Board Member & Alumni Parent

When my wife and I were considering enrolling our daughter at Oneness she was invited to spend a day visiting a second grade class. This would be her opportunity to see if Oneness was a good fit for her and the family. Her first comment after her day was “they let me take my shoes off and sit on the carpet — I really liked it.” We knew then that Oneness would be a school that would nurture and support our daughter. Leena attended Oneness for her elementary and middle school years. Her brother, Keva, was also a student there. 

My commitment to Oneness continues today — long after my kids have left the school. As a former Board member and former Oneness parent, but a lifelong Oneness community member, I always encourage parents of young children to consider Oneness-Family School as a place that will support their whole child.

—Raj Chawla, Alumni Parent & Former Board Member

Working at Oneness-Family School gives me the opportunity to have a positive impact on people’s lives and make a difference every day. When you put the emphasis on the work “family” in the name Oneness-Family School and add compassion you get the feeling that I have had over the more than 20 years I have been a part of this community. The people I work with nurture and support me. The students are wonderful and say the darndest things, which make me laugh daily.

Being part of the leadership team helps me grow on a personal level and allows me to develop professionally. At the end of the day I know I made a real difference. It is rewarding to know that even if only indirectly, I have had a small part to play in that. My work is varied and exciting; ultimately I love my job.

Bodil Eriksson, Director of Curriculum and Primary Programs, Alumni Parent 

Oneness-Family School is a place of belonging and a vision actualized each day. There is no greater work for me than being part of helping educate future generations to be their best selves. Giving students the opportunity to grow, create, and achieve is a benefit to all of us. I have tremendous gratitude for all the people who have been and are part of this community.

Karen Donovan, Head of Lower School & Alumni Parent