America’s 250th Birthday Celebrations Home / Celebrating America / America's 250th Birthday Celebration Celebrating 250 Years of America Through Learning and Service As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, Merryhill School is bringing history to life through a year-long series of student experiences focused on civics, leadership, and community. Through learning, service, and shared moments, students are exploring what it means to be part of our nation’s story. This page captures highlights from these celebrations as they unfold across our schools. Be sure to check back regularly for additional highlights! Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Honoring Service Through Storytime We were honored to welcome a Merryhill Laguna parent who serves our country to read a book about America to our Beginner classroom. Our young learners were captivated as they listened and learned. It was a meaningful moment of connection, appreciation, and community. We are so grateful for families who share their time and service with our school. Celebrating America Together At Merryhill Laguna, our students came together for a special moment to celebrate America. From learning about the flag to practicing the Pledge of Allegiance, our learners are beginning to explore the meaning of community, country, and unity. We are so proud to see their curiosity, respect, and enthusiasm grow as they learn about the values that bring us together. Patriotic Sensory Play for Infants Our Durango infants enjoyed a fun patriotic sensory activity using red and blue spaghetti. The soft, cooked noodles were safely colored with food-safe dye and placed in a shallow tray for supervised exploration. As infants grasped, squeezed, and patted the spaghetti, they strengthened their fine motor skills. Teachers supported language development by describing what the students were feeling and seeing. A Moment of Unity to Start the School Day Each day, our students come together to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, building a sense of unity, respect, and responsibility. This daily tradition encourages pride in our community and helps students start the day with shared purpose and focus. Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 Slide 5 Leading with Pride Our flag holders of the day in Durango Las Vegas held the American flag and led the class in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. With steady hands and big smiles, they demonstrated confidence, responsibility, and strong preschool pride as they helped guide this special classroom moment. Learning about the Flag Our Durango Las Vegas preschoolers learned about the American flag and its meaning. During circle time, they discovered that the 50 stars represent the 50 states and the 13 stripes symbolize the original 13 colonies. Together, the class proudly stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Red, White, & Blue Firework Art For Red, White, and Blue day, our Durango Las Vegas toddlers celebrated by creating colorful firework art. Using recycled toilet paper rolls as stamping tools, they dipped them in red, white, and blue paint to make bright “fireworks” on paper. This fun activity helped strengthen their fine motor skills while encouraging language development as they named colors! Exploring the Flag Through Math & Art Our students in Durango Las Vegas learned about the American flag and the meaning behind its red, white, and blue colors. They observed the stars and stripes while practicing color recognition and counting. After, the students created their own versions of the flag, using their creativity and fine motor skills to make each unique. Pre-K Celebrations Our Merryhill Durango Pre-K students explored the state and country we call home while learning about America’s 250th birthday. After their discussion, they created festive windsocks using star stencils, crayons, and red, white, and blue streamers. This hands-on activity gave students a fun way to celebrate and show their patriotic spirit. 7th Grader Named DAR American History Essay Contest Winner We are proud to announce that 7th grader Samantha Guinn has been selected as a Daughters of the American Revolution American History Essay Contest winner (Lucretia Council Cochran Chapter). Samantha’s accomplishment highlights how our students connect deeply with American history while developing strong writing and critical-thinking skills. Essays were judged for historical accuracy, adherence to the topic, organization of materials, interest, originality, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness. Samantha’s winning essay will advance to the District-level competition. World War II Essay Contest Winners Our school proudly participated in the Spring Education Group World War II Essay Contest. We are excited to recognize our three campus winners and one runner-up for their outstanding essays. Their thoughtful reflections and dedication to honoring this important chapter in American history exemplify the spirit of learning and remembrance we value in our community. National Anthem Day Across the Country Students across our Merryhill Schools in California, Nevada, and Texas proudly raised their voices in song as they performed the national anthem together. Moments like this reflect our ongoing commitment to character development, civic awareness, and student leadership. As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re proud to create meaningful opportunities for our students to honor our country while growing as confident, engaged citizens.
