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The Gordon School

This I believe essays

Since 2011, essays by Gordon seventh graders, originally written for a class assignment, have aired as part of Rhode Island Public Radio’s This I Believe, which airs weekly every Wednesday.
 
The “This I Believe” essay has become an annual assignment in seventh grade humanities, and the team at RIPR chooses a number to develop into radio segments.
 
The process has become part of a series of spoken word projects for seventh graders, culminating in the June Night of Words event.

from the Class of 2022
Forgiveness, from a member of the Class of 2022

from the Class of 2021
July 21st 2020: Family connections
August 5th 2020: Quest for identity

from the Class of 2020: 
July 9th, 2019: Love Saves
July 24th, 2019: Life to the Fullest
August 6th, 2019: Strength from Trauma
September 18th, 2019: Caretakers

from the Class of 2019
In the summer of 2018, William Istok '19 had his essay air, the third member of his family to be on This I Believe. His sister Annika and his mother Lori both had preceded him.

from the Class of 2018
June 28th Jacob Faulise '18 listen now, online
July 12th Naya Habr '18 listen now, online
July 26th Charlie Ragina '18 listen now, online
August 9th Emma Platt '18 listen now, online
August 23rd Faith Felder '18 listen now, online
 
from the Class of 2017 
Blank Pages, by Leo Griffin '17
Performance anxiety, by Emma La Sala '17
Singing, by Gianna Paratore '17
Learning empathy, by Seb Dobron '17
Whatever you do, by Juliana Pal '17
Being resilient, by Annie Doyle '17

from the Class of 2016 
When It Falls Apart by Sophie Grosswendt '16, aired May 20th, 2015
Homesick by Anika Istok '16, aired June 3rd, 2015
Little Lies by Bea Hruska '16, aired June 17th, 2015
Chasing Rainbows by Jacqueline Faulise '16, aired July 15th, 2015
Racial Identity by Rachel Romain '16, aired July 29th, 2015
Strength and Weakness by Lily Barker '16 aired August 11th, 2015
 
from the Class of 2015
Becoming a teenager, by Jacob Wassouf '15, aired May 2014
Who you are, by Grace Moorhead '14, aired in July 2013
Responding to crisis, by Maddi Murphy '14, aired in November 2013
Pay it forward, by Alyssa Howard '14, aired in February 2014
 
from the Class of 2012
Listen by Lily Maris '12 originally aired December 2011
No Strong Belief by Nat Deacon '12, originally aired November 2011
No Shame by Emily Elder '12 originally aired October 2011 
 

Over the years, Gordon faculty, parents and alumni have also recorded essays for This I Believe.

Community support
by Spanish teacher, and parent, Aleida Benitez
 
by parent Lori Istok
by parent Lauren Jordan
by Lauren Bendheim ’14
 
by seventh grade teacher, and Gordon parent, Tamar Paull
 
Pandemic losses take many forms
by alumni parent Mike Stanton