Michaelmas at WSP: A Celebration of Courage and Community
By Christina Assirati
Los Altos Campus Pedagocial Administrator
As autumn begins and the days grow shorter, it is time for each of us to let our inner light shine brighter. Guided by conscience, we find resolve and courage. In Waldorf schools around the world, this season is marked by the Festival of Michaelmas—also known as the Festival of Courage.
This year, we gathered on Tuesday, September 30, at the Los Altos Campus, with our Middle and High School students joining in, dressed in fiery hues of red, orange, and yellow.
The heart of the festival lay not only in the day itself, but in the thoughtful preparation leading up to it. Each class contributed to the traditions that gave the celebration its depth and meaning:
Second graders crafted wooden swords, while fourth graders designed and painted shields—symbols of responsibility and strength.
Sixth graders brought the dragon to life in the pageant.
Third graders journeyed to Live Earth Farm to pick apples for cider pressing and baked the beloved dragon bread shared with all students and faculty in grades 1–12.
Middle and High School students rehearsed verses and songs and took on leadership in the “Games of Challenge,” from the Dragon Relay to the Egg Race.
By the time Michaelmas arrived, the children were not just participants but creators of the festival itself. In this way, Michaelmas became more than a day of celebration—it became a living picture of courage, cooperation, and growth.
From dragon bread to the Games of Challenge, this year’s Michaelmas festival brought our community together in a joyful celebration of courage and tradition.
