Traditions Are Important

By Mrs. Isabel O’Driscoll, Student Services

Traditions are so important in community life, and the pancake breakfast is one of the favorite traditions at Geneva! I’ve done a little research, and it seems that the pancake breakfast started as a student government event for Shrove Tuesday, and everyone loved it so much that for the past twelve years there is at least one day a year when the students arrive to a pancake breakfast! The administration puts on their aprons and flips pancakes for the students and faculty.

In the early days when it all started, the administrators lined the hallways and served the students as they arrived, but soon there were so many students and so much food that we needed to move into the gym.

Janzen Harding, class of 2012 and a current faculty member, remembers being so excited for pancake breakfast day! She looks back at those days being some of her favorites. Her classmate Michaela O’Driscoll remembers, “I always looked forward to pancake breakfasts as a way to relax and spend time with my friends and teachers outside the classroom. It felt like an acknowledgement of the work I was doing in school and a time of reprieve from my studies if only for a moment. The camaraderie among students and teachers was palpable and a feeling I still remember to this day.”

Seventh grader Landon Agurto was so excited to finally get to be a part of the pancake breakfast this year!

This morning we had Mr. Ingram, Dr. Clark, and Dr. Beates cooking up blueberry pancakes, Chinese savory pancake, and French toast. Moms in Prayer offered all the fixings with chocolate chips, Nutella, pecans, coconut, and sprinkles! Father’s Watch took part arriving with spatulas in hand. Parents provided delicious casseroles and fresh fruit.  The result was a gym buzzing with students and faculty relaxing and enjoying a great breakfast together!

I’m not sure how this important tradition will play out in our new venue next year, but I have no doubt that it is something that will just get better as we move into our beautiful new Geneva home!