The Pengyou Project, launched by Harvard University, began as a means of forging friendships between American and Chinese youth and proclaimed Pengyou Day in November to draw awareness to the project. For the last two years, Garrison Forest School has expanded upon the message of Pengyou Day by celebrating and encouraging friendships with people of all nations. 

In celebration of Pengyou Day, a banner displaying the Chinese characters for “friend” hung on campus throughout the week. In addition, Selina ‘19 gave an interactive presentation about the meaning of friendship on Pengyou Day and the GFS Confucius Classroom sponsored a schoolwide art and writing Pengyou competition. Students in the Lower School and Upper School submitted photos, poems, essays and stories. Winners of the competition were announced on November 16.

Amalia, our 3rd Grade Lower School winner, focused her entry on her friendship with a girl in Iran. Amalia began her entry with “Our countries don’t like each other, but we are friends.” Annika, 9th Grade, lovingly and vividly related a story about her international friend. Another Upper School student, Sheri, 9th Grade, won with a poem about caring and friendship. Mrs. Hutton, Head of Lower School, and Ms. Lewis, Director of Community Life and Inclusion, presented the winners with gift cards as prizes.