On March 25, Cary Academy hosted the first on-campus Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day since the beginning of the pandemic. Guests accompanied their students to X Day Activities and had the opportunity to partake in various activities. For example, some grandparents attended Pancake Chemistry Palooza, participating in a “seminar discussion about the chemical function of the ingredients and pancakes” and subsequently creating their own recipes and testing them out. Some grandparents enjoyed learning about 3D printing, while others engaged in creating and planting their own bonsai trees. The return of in-person Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day marked a critical moment in the return to normality that has characterized this school year, including reaching masks optional status in the spring and assemblies with the whole Upper School community.

Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day helped to foster a sense of community. Its occurrence on X Day, hosted by the Center for Community Engagement, offered grandparents an opportunity to learn firsthand about Cary Academy’s holistic approach to education and emphasis on experiential learning. “I enjoyed exposing my grandparents to the Cary Academy experience, as the cultural norms have shifted so much since they were in high school,” says Evan Alexander, a current junior.