GFA Blog

Penumbra's co-editors-in-chief reflect on the making of this year's annual literary magazine. 

By Sarah Bayzick
PreK Lead Teacher

Throughout the spring, Lower School students have been exploring the theme: Making the Unseen Seen. This led the PreK students to ask, “Can we share our imaginations? How do we make known the big ideas inside our heads?"

By Cece Barry

Fifth graders recently read the graphic novel When Stars are Scattered — which tells the true story of a young boy who fled his home in Somalia in the early 1990s when civil war broke out and walked for weeks to get to a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. The story inspired them to write a newspaper report of his tale. Below is the first of three submissions:

Senior Neil Gawande was the year's final Friday Speaker. With his unique delivery style, Gawande opened up about his struggles with insecurity, and shared reflections on life and love. Click below to listen and watch Gawande's dynamic presentation:

Senior Shealeigh Crombie spoke at a recent assembly about coming to terms with the damage caused by a sports injury, and how those instances aren't always a setback, they can also be opportunities to create something new and beautiful.

By Victor Llanque
Associate Head of School

When it comes to fear of public speaking, the emotion is real but the danger is not. Do you know what happens if you mess up in a speech?  Nothing. That’s what happens.  So, whenever I’m in this situation, I simply stand and wait for the emotion to pass.