Students Express Gratitude at Thanksgiving Service

Millbrook School held its annual Thanksgiving Service in the Flagler Memorial Chapel on Thursday, sharing beautiful music and heartfelt gratitude as a community.

Reverend Cam Hardy led the half-hour service, which featured readings of stories of respect by students from Theater Director Elaine Lifter's Advanced Performance class. Between the readings, student musical groups performed.

Violinists Emmett Geller ’27 and Leo Zhang ‘28, accompanied by Selina Hung ‘27 on piano, performed “Autumn” from Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons concerto. Music Director Joe Raciti and the Millbrook Singers delivered a stirring rendition of “Never Left My Side” by Forrest Frank, underscored by Esref Erkman ‘27 on trumpet and a vocal solo from KJ Pimentel ‘28.

The entire congregation sang school hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth,” and then students were given the opportunity to publicly share what they are most thankful for this semester. Many offered thanks to their faculty advisors, who work hard to build meaningful relationships and ensure every student is known and needed.

Reverend Hardy summarized the proceedings perfectly:

 "I’m grateful to the service itself because it was authentic Millbrook-traditional, yet student-driven and collaborative with faculty: original words about our core value of respect from Elaine’s performance students, music suggested and led by IIIrd former KJ Pimentel (arranged by Joe Raciti), stories of gratitude, our school hymn. What a wonderful way to celebrate this time of year as we head off to break."

Following the service, students and faculty attended a formal dinner at Casertano Hall. The meal included fruit and butter plates made to look like turkeys, plus the traditional Thanksgiving fare: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and family-style fellowship, which kept everyone warm on a cold and rainy evening.