All articles tagged with #rite of passage
St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark requires all freshmen to complete a five-day, 55-mile Appalachian Trail trek with limited supervision, a 53-year tradition designed to teach teamwork, resilience, and independence; the hike concludes with sophomores who are worn but transformed.
A mother who grew up in a time when menstruation was taboo threw a "period party" for her daughter when she turned 13 to celebrate her becoming a young woman. The party was an observance of her turning 13, with guests bringing beads or stones to make a necklace and sharing wisdom and blessings in a scrapbook. Although her daughter was initially embarrassed, she now looks back on the event fondly and helps friends plan similar celebrations for their daughters.