Our Traditions
Stone Soup
Before each Thanksgiving break, Crestmont celebrates its community with an event called “Stone Soup.”
The event is based on a story of the same title, in which hungry strangers trick others into believing that soup can be made from a stone.
As the pot of water boils with the stone in it, they urge others to add more and more ingredients until the soup is a feast “fit for a king.”
In the story, the characters learn that by sharing, a community can turn rocks into gold (or delicious soup!).
The entire Crestmont community comes together to make the meal and then celebrates with a festive feast.
Family Trips
In February, the Snow Trip is a fun and adventurous all-school tradition, where we rent an entire lodge at an affordable ski resort. School closes on the day before the trip so families have a chance to get up there and begin enjoying the surroundings.
Families can sled, ski, snowshoe, hike, build snowmen, or just relax with some hot chocolate.
At the school-wide Camping Trip, held each fall, the Crestmont community packs its tents, flashlights, sleeping bags and s’more’s ingredients and heads into the woods. This is a great opportunity to get to know other families in our community and enjoy nature with our entire family. The camping trip takes place over a weekend in a Bay Area campground.
Flea Markets
Flea Markets are one of Crestmont’s most beloved school-wide events and are incorporated into the school day three times a year. At each flea market, the entire student body sets up booths on the play yard to sell handmade items.
The event teaches students how commerce works, from exploring the costs of making items compared to expected profits, to figuring out what their fellow students might be interested in.
The offerings are inventive and creative, ranging from simple (cookies) to elaborate (original hand-bound storybooks). Typically atypical Flea Market fare includes handmade sculptures, tie-dyed socks, homemade rosewater, surprise eggs, snow globes, hot chocolate, jello creations, homemade burritos, and even a pie-in-the-face center, to name but a few.
At the end of the market, each class counts the dollars (and nickels and quarters) it made, and then votes on a charity or community activity it will donate the money to. These are often causes that are related to their curriculum, including the Marine Mammal Center, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (C.I.W.) to support their fight for farmworker justice, and local urban agriculture nonprofit Urban Tilth.
Art & Talent Showcases
Our Talent Show is one of our most creative events. Organized by the middle school students and their teacher, this is a fun event that students can choose to perform in. Parents are often invited.
Spring Sing is a community event where all students showcase the wonderful music have learned throughout the school year. Adult community members are invited to join in a jam session for the last song.
Our Art Exhibition features beautiful art from every student from the school year. Mediums such as sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, and photography are featured. Community members are encouraged to write appreciations to the artists for each piece of artwork displayed.
Each class performs a Class Play in the Spring. Drama education address skills in many areas: self-confidence, imagination, public speaking skills, concentration, collaboration and cooperation. Students perform a published play, write their own scripts or perform monologues.
