• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Skip to footer navigation

  • Calendar of events
  • 687 Larch Av, Teaneck NJ
  • 201-836-5187
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE
Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County NJ

Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County NJ

  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Leader
      • Leader Curt Collier
      • Leader’s Talks
      • Joe Chuman, Retired Leader
        • Talks by Dr Joseph Chuman
        • Speaking of Ethics: Living a Humanist Life
        • Wedding Officiant
    • Gatherings
    • FAQ
      • How does Ethical Culture make a difference in society?
      • What social life is there in Ethical Culture?
      • How is Ethical Culture religious?
    • Ethical Brew
    • Ceremonies
    • Philosophy
    • Constitution & Bylaws
    • Contact Us
  • Sunday School
    • About Our Sunday School
    • Primary Class
    • Elementary Class
    • Junior Class
    • Senior Class
    • Sunday school FAQ
    • Sunday School News
  • Social Action
    • History of Our Social Action
    • All Social Action Articles
    • Battling Racism
    • Environmental Action
    • Healthcare
  • Adult Education
    • About Our Adult Ed Programs
    • Open Mic
    • Conversemos
    • Job Club
    • Accountability Circle
      • Anti-racism
      • Gender Explorations
    • Mindfulness Mediation
    • Socrates Cafe
    • Ethical Culture Review of Books
  • News
    • All News
    • President Column
    • UN Report
    • Gathering Addresses
    • Member News
    • Sunday School News
  • EVENTS

Congratulations to our Sunday School Graduates

June 12, 2013

GRADUATION – June 9, 2013
Three Sunday School students presented their Senior Projects at their Rite-of-Passage Ceremony at the Ethical Culture Society today. Lanue Hibbert, Izabella Repasky, and Hazel Henderson marked the completion of their educational program at the Ethical Culture Society.

With pride, we witnessed these young people leave their childhood and enter a new phase of their lives.

Their mentors stepped up to the podium to describe their own growth with their protogées and to laud them for their efforts and the people they are. David Bland’s testimonial included his observation that Lanue Hibbert is smart, funny, and charming. He was genuinely taken aback when Lanue offered to step up to pay for meals for their meetings and to assist moving household items at David’s home. Ginger Gordon stated that she was “elated” to be part of the process of mentoring a student this year. Her time with Izabella (“Bella”) Repasky was special to both of them. Bella was always ready to go to work on time and it was a learning experience for both of them. Diane Koszarski shared that it was a “gift” to her to be able to get to know Hazel Henderson better. She found her to be serene, aware, and sympathetic to the world around her.

All the parents shared their insights about their children. All stressed how each student had a strong bond with their family and their friends and each had an unwavering dedication to ethical values in their lives. What came across universally was the deep love and support each parent exuded when speaking about their child and realizing the development before their eyes.

Finally, the graduates presented their projects which were all designed via Powerpoint. All incorporated the 12 Core Values of Ethical Culture into their work.

Lanue Hibbert based his choice on a book called Gone by author Michael Grant. Lanue spoke of the story being reminiscent of Lord of the Flies where the setting involves a group of children 15 and under being cut off from the rest of civilization as some children attempted to preserve humanity by thinking of others before acting and other children who acted out of self interest, thereby degenerating into cruelty and anarchy. Lanue could easily see the themes of the Ethical Core values in this book, primarily that “The Golden Rule” is necessary for survival. His message is our choice of how and what we decide is always ours.

Izabella Repasky focused on how the Core Values relate to gun control. Primarily Izabella stated that every person is important and unique, and when a person dies, Society itself suffers a loss. Further, as a member of the World Community, Izella understands that this community depends upon the cooperation of all people for peace and justice. Unrestricted firearms works to disrupt and frustrate these goals and she wants to dedicate her life to helping to adopt more common sense gun restrictions into law.

Hazel Henderson’s project was “Peacemaking Through Music”. She found that the power of music itself can change the world. To demonstrate her premise, Hazel distributed the lyrics to two songs (Steve Wonder’s In Need of Love and Chester William Powers, Jr.’s Get Together) and played them. She talked about how both songs were about protest and peace, and more importantly about change. The words were powerful and the songs delivered the message. Hazel told all that Today is the best time to be alive and that as humanists, we all have the skills for peacemaking.

The graduation ceremony was planned by the Religious Education Committee and Sabine Salandy, the Director of Religious Education who MC’d this event. After Graduation, a celebratory luncheon replete with cake was offered.

The three graduates who will join the Sunday School staff as teacher assistants in Septement had this to say about the time they spend at the Society: “My ethical experience has been wonderful. It has guided me to make the right decisions and given me the opportunity to learn and grow” said Izabella . According to Lanue, “Ethical to me is knowing that I will always have someone under me pushing me up.” And Hazel expressed that “Ethical has helped to shape my perspective on the world, to give me a foundation for making the right decisions in life”.

Primary Sidebar

Ethical Brew is Back!

Ethical Brew Coffeehouse

Recent News

  • You’re Invited: Humanist for the Holidays
  • Join our Celebration of Human Rights
  • Our Research Highlights the Need to Connect Local Residents and Public Spaces
  • We Must Continue to Work Toward the Conditions of Peace
  • Let’s Join Forces Against Disinformation

Sign up for our newsletter.

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

We believe in ethics. We believe in people.

Please believe in us.

    Donate    

About Us

Ethical Culture was founded to focus on community and good works, rather than personal salvation. Read more…

Archives

Footer

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Connect with Us

Address: 687 Larch Ave, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: 201-836-5187
Email: [email protected]

Sign up for our newsletter.

 

Recent Posts

  • You’re Invited: Humanist for the Holidays November 30, 2023
  • Join our Celebration of Human Rights November 30, 2023
  • Our Research Highlights the Need to Connect Local Residents and Public Spaces November 30, 2023
  • We Must Continue to Work Toward the Conditions of Peace November 29, 2023
  • Let’s Join Forces Against Disinformation November 9, 2023
Our Society’s Covid-19 Guidelines

We believe in ethics. We believe in people.

Please believe in us.

Topics

atheism atheist church book review children civil rights climate change community compassion death democracy Doris Friedensohn education Elizabeth Warren environment environmentalism Ethical Brew Ethical Culture ethical education ethics family Felix Adler gender global warming happiness healthcare humanism humanist humanists human rights Israel Joseph Chuman Middle East politics racism religion Secular Humanism social action Socrates Cafe Sunday School technology transgender Trump unemployment world health youth

What We Do For Fun….

There's always time for play: celebrations, discussions (some in Spanish -- find Conversemos on our calendar), hikes, picnics, cultural outings, and more. Come join us!
Kids get into the act
Diane running the show

Important Links

  • Member of the American Ethical Union
  • Ethical Brew
  • Sanctuary Committee
  • BC Gun Violence Prevention
  • NJ Website Designer
© 2023 | The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County NJ

Copyright © 2023 · Kreativ Pro On Genesis Framework · The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County · Log in

  • Calendar of events
  • 687 Larch Av, Teaneck NJ
  • 201-836-5187
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE