After a break, a beautiful long-standing tradition returned to Kaunas – the gratitude event of Erudito Licėjus, which this year became a family celebration. During this event, we symbolically thanked the parents for being together, for their support, and for their unity. On the afternoon of June 3rd, parents, grandparents, and relatives of students from grades 0-10 gathered in the Great Hall of Vytautas Magnus University to enjoy the happiness of being together and to watch the musical performance “Happiness is a Fox” prepared by the entire school community.

The play, based on the book “Happiness is a Fox” by writers Evelina Daciūtė and Aušra Kiudulaitė, was created by the entire community: not only teachers, administration, and students, whose performances and musical numbers enriched the play, but also the founders of Erudito Licėjus, Nerijus and Laima Pačėsos, participated in the creation process. The school’s director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. N. Pačėsa, started the event with the youngest students, contemplating what happiness is, where to look for it, and whether Monday can be a happy day.

“My mom says that Monday is the hardest day, but I disagree, I say that Monday is the happiest day!” says one. Another agrees, “I also like Monday because I miss my friends very much.” “And you, director, are you happy on Mondays?” asks a third. “Good question,” answers the director. “Only children can think so deeply.” “What does it mean to think deeply?” “It means thinking about things you cannot see, things you often do not know, but want to know. Like your question, whether I am happy on Mondays. I am very happy that we have all created a wonderful school where happy children study, wonderful parents raise them, great teachers teach them, and the administration takes care of everyone, and together we are all happy.” From the very beginning of Erudito Licėjus, the founders had the idea to organize a Thanksgiving Day at the end of each school year, where we could be together, thank each other for the year, and enjoy the community.

Delighted by Active Parental Involvement

The founders of Erudito licėjus, Nerijus and Laima Pačėsos, are delighted that parents are actively involved in the life and even the education of the school community – by talking about professions and wanting to reveal their diversity, parents help organize contextual lessons in different workplaces, invite students to their companies, and willingly come to school and to lessons themselves. This involvement was positively evaluated by Stuart Brain, an IB consultant from London, who recently visited Erudito Licėjus in Kaunas.

At the event, the most active parents were honored with thanks and bouquets of fragrant oranges: Ingrida and Modestas Povilaičiai, Elena and Sigitas Stankevičiai, Rolandas Mileris, Šarūnė and Juozas Proškevičiai, Aivaras and Milda Astrauskai, Liudvikas and Asta Morkūnai, Rasa Juodišienė, Fausta Drūlytė, Giedrė and Egidijus Šimeliai, Tautvydas and Emilija Vikšraičiai, Giedrė Mockienė, Vestina Gaveikienė, Greta Norkienė, Irma Dzikaitė-Rimkė and Richard Rimkus, Agnė Stasiškienė.

“We constantly emphasize partnership – between the student, the school, its community, and the family. This is one of those moments when we can show that unity, demonstrate it, thank each other, and at the same time it is a sincere and wonderful opportunity to enjoy being together, to show how much creative potential we all have and to showcase it,” said the founder and head of Erudito Licėjus, Assoc. Prof. Dr. N. Pačėsa.

“Our Thanksgiving Day has become a family celebration. From the very beginning of Erudito Licėjus, after the first year, we wanted to gather and thank everyone – unity is a great value and happiness,” says L. Pačėsienė about the tradition of Thanksgiving Day – now also Family Day – nurtured since the founding of the school. “The pandemic and quarantine somewhat halted our Thanksgiving celebration tradition, but we are very happy that this year the event was revived, and we could thank our families. Happiness was in the air today.”

During the event, many definitions of happiness could be heard. Happiness is also ice cream on a hot summer day. “Happiness is me! For parents, grandparents, friends – I am happiness.” Happiness can even be given by colors, “and the color of happiness is bright and sweet like an orange.” Happiness is friendship, gratitude, being together, a loving heart at home, and a warm cup of tea, even a hot bun with filling that needs to be eaten while still warm. And sometimes happiness comes like a fox. Even on Mondays! Happiness is a great mystery, but only the most sincere find it. Embark on a daily search for happiness, and you too! Just don’t forget, as the Fox advises, to look at everything that happened from all sides, because good things sometimes become clear over time.

We invite you to relive the joyful moments of being together by browsing through the virtual family celebration photo gallery.