Lake Forest Country Day School Honors Martin Luther King, Jr. with an All-School Assembly

Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS) honored Martin Luther King, Jr. ahead of the national holiday by hosting an all-school assembly on Friday, January 16. Honoring the man who once stated “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” LFCDS students, parents, and teachers joined together to celebrate Dr. King’s life, and to remind each other of the LFCDS emphasis on “strong character.”

Speeches by Head of School Bob Whelan, Assistant Head of School Bob Bullard, Assistant to Head of School Candace Gregg, and Drama teacher Nicky Pitman, mixed with a communal singing of “A Song of Peace” rounded out an hour-long assembly in honor of Dr. King.

Head of School Bob Whelan stressed to all in attendance that Dr. King articulated his vision with passion and emotion to enact real change in the world. According to Mr. Whelan, LFCDS provides a nurturing and encouraging environment that allows students to find their own voice so that they, too, can go forth in the world and self-advocate for change and progress.

The assembly watched Dr. King’s “I have a Dream Speech” playing on the atrium projector and reflected on the impact of Dr. King’s words and the passion that exuded from his every action during that day. The common theme throughout the celebration was recognizing the importance of serving others—something bigger than yourself.

Assistant Head of School Bob Bullard touched upon his relationship with Lilace Reid Barnes at Lake Forest College, who personally knew Martin Luther King, Jr. and who gave Mr. Bullard a book entitled “Strength to Love,” written and signed by Dr. King. Mr. Bullard emphasized the importance that love played in Dr. King’s vision and actions throughout his life.

Assistant to Head of School, Candace Gregg, talked about the impact that the LFCDS Innovation Outreach program has had in terms of extending resources, time, and effort to others. The Innovation Outreach program, which pairs LFCDS students and faculty with students and teachers from the North Chicago School District for science-related activities, is an example of LFCDS students and faculty serving a greater cause than their own interests.

Mrs. Pitman has organized a “What’s Your Dream” community board at the school, where students and faculty can write down their dream, and how they plan to accomplish it.

The inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly was a success at LFCDS and Mr. Whelan plans for it to continue to be a significant school tradition for years to come.

Lake Forest Country Day School serves students from more than 30 communities throughout the North Shore and beyond. A regional center of excellence for early childhood, elementary, and middle school education for children ages 2 to Grade 8, LFCDS is committed to inspired teaching, academic rigor, attention to individual needs, and responsible citizenship as well as the dedication to producing students of strong character with a passion for learning. For more information on LFCDS, please visit www.lfcds.org or call (847) 234-2350.