May 29, 2016   Greetings,   It has been an eventful time at Swain, as we begin to wrap up the 2015-2016 school year! In case you missed any of these stories on Facebook and our SmugMug photo galleries, here's a recap of some of our recent adventures: Trips and Travel The end of the school year, with its beautiful spring weather, is a great time to travel off-campus and create memories. The Class of 2016 (left) traveled to Ocean City, NJ, for the traditional 8th Grade Class Trip. They enjoyed a scavenger hunt, beach time, and seeing the sights - most of it planned by the students themselves. (click photo for more images) The 6th- and 7th graders also spent time outdoors, both taking day trips to the Lehigh Parkway and hiking part of the nearby Appalachian Trail. Journaling and sketching were favorite parts of the day. (see the photos here) First graders and their families (right) traveled to the Philadelphia Zoo, and the Preschool students met all kinds of friendly creatures at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. More "Amazing Results" We sent 20 7th- and 8th graders to the state PA Junior Academy of Science competition earlier this month, and they returned home with 14 first place and six 2nd place awards. Congratulations to the newest inductees into the National Junior Honor Society. NJHS recognizes students who embody high levels of leadership, citizenship, character, service, and scholarship. Second grader Layne Moughan (right) represented The Swain School at Rutgers University last week, as an award recipient from the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. She achieved high honors, which means her scores were among the best of all of the students that entered the talent search this year; fewer than 30 percent of students that test achieve scores at that level. She was invited to attend the award ceremony and received a pin for her achievement. Well done, Layne! Swain had 13 third-fifth grade students participate in the popular "Girls on the Run" program this past Thursday evening. For the past several months the girls have worked with their coaches - Stacey Pugh, Heather Weiss, Jillian Beers and Cassie Brown - to train for this 5K event. Along the way the girls learned about health, nutrition and making good decisions and choices.  Just for Fun! Gathering as a community for our annual Picnic and Field Day festivities always makes for a great day. The picnic was served by Swain Association volunteers, and it was another beautiful (but hot!) day to be outdoors for games and fun. (more photos here). Later in the day, the eagerly-awaited delivery of yearbooks! It is always exciting to re-live the year with the colorful pages created by Yearbook Coordinator Julia Getty and her 8th grade committee. And of course to have your friends sign your book 'for posterity' (see photos here). Looking Ahead... The fun is not over - let us know if you're planning to attend this Wednesday's "Cocktails in the Courtyard" appreciation event, from 6-8 p.m. (adults-only). And you are welcome to attend the beautiful Graduation Ceremony planned for this Friday at noon, celebrating the accomplishments of the Class of 2016. There will be plenty of memories, music, and looking ahead as we acknowledge this exceptional group of students.   Don't forget to read our news on Facebook! Thanks and enjoy your week!