A Small Town School’s Take on Valentine’s Day

Every year, on February 14th, celebrations including the exchange of flowers and candies take place in honor of St. Valentine. 

St. Valentine is one of many Saints named Valentine or Valentinus recognized by The Catholic Church. According to legends, Emperor Claudius II banned young soldiers from getting married for the sake of the war. He believed that unmarried men made better soldiers. Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young couples in secret, going against Claudius. 

According to History.com, “When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.” 

Fair Grove is one of the many schools that celebrate the holiday. Casey Davis, a first year teacher at Fair Grove, explained how in regards to Covid teachers are only required to limit the amount of parents able to attend the classroom parties.

Mrs. Davis shared, “Some of my plans for the classroom is to make Valentine’s Day hats and make a heart buddy that we will hang in the hallway. We will also be handing out Valentines.” 

Mrs. Davis shared that her favorite part about throwing parties for the kids is seeing their excitement when they walk through the door. This year, parties are being held right after specials giving Mrs. Davis and many teachers plenty of time to decorate. She stated, “When they get back from specials, it is a total surprise to them what the room looks like. I just love to see them so excited about something.”

When asked what Valentine’s Day means to them, the children in Mrs. Davis’ Kindergarten class gave many responses. The children added many things from candy, to Valentine’s Day parties, and family. 

Mrs. Davis’ class had a wonderful party. They played games, ate food, did a craft and handed out valentines. 

Although kids often find Valentine’s Day as a holiday full of getting candy, Fair Grove High School’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) had a different approach to the holiday of love. SADD held a meeting on Thursday, February 10th focusing on healthy relationships and how to recognize abuse.   

Fair Grove High School prioritizes relationships between students, teachers, and friends alike. Whether it is strengthening relationships with each other or oneself, their compassion for comradery really shines through this time of the year. 

Work cited:

History.com Editors, “History of Valentine’s Day” History, February 11, 2022. https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2