The Friday Finish - "Do not despise small beginnings" - Kindergarten Proud - Preschool graduation made a splash - Serving a Wider Community
- Tim Crawford
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
May 22, 2026
Our nation celebrates Memorial Day in serious and festive ways with families and in our communities, and celebrations are ramping up this year with the commemoration of 250 years of independence. Red Bird was in a similar mode since last week celebrating commencements across the campus that draw our families and community together to mark the accomplishments of our children and youth during the 105 years of education at the Red Bird Mission.
“Do not despise small beginnings”
The 12 students in Class of 2026 Red Bird Christian School (RBCS) were celebrated and sent forth on Sunday by family, friends and community members that gathered for Baccalaureate at Beverly United Methodist Church and Commencement at the school on the Queendale Campus. Each of these students have firm plans to use their Red Bird academic preparation and spiritual formation to build a life of leadership and service. While the class size may be one of the smaller ones to graduate, speakers and participants at both of Sunday’s events added challenges and inspiration for the great journeys ahead.
Mr. Jeff Smith (’81) returned to his “home church” to deliver a challenging message for each to choose which team they will play on in life. Jeff built a career in Alabama as a hall of fame high school basketball coach, and shared his personal journey that led him to realize that playing on “God’s team” is ultimately the best decision one can make.
Jeff testified saying, “When I opened up to God and confessed my sins, when I asked for forgiveness and I got honest with myself,
then I began to get closer to Him and my identity started becoming more about Jesus, than Jeff.”
Afterwards, congregants travelled to Queendale to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by the RBCS food service staff and begin receiving other friends and family gathering in the gymnasium for the culminating event, Commencement. Valedictorian Bryleigh King delivered a thoughtful, heartfelt speech acknowledging the bonds formed with her classmates; appreciation for mentorship from teachers and Mrs. Angela Crawford, Senior Class Sponsor; and lessons of courage and strength taught by her dad, Mr. Jon King (a graduate of Red Bird Mission School).
Bryleigh lifted up God’s importance saying, “I want to take a moment to thank God for guiding us throughout this journey. There were times when the road was not easy, moments when we felt overwhelmed, uncertain, or ready to give up, but through every challenge we were given the strength to keep moving forward.
Without God we wouldn’t be standing here today.”
After special music from the Red Bird Christian School Choir under the direction of Mr. Nate Smallwood, Director, Hollie Hunter, Top Transfer Student, spoke to the crowd adding her appreciation for the formation received, for God, family support, classmates and teachers. She concluded, “I hope we remember success is not about achievements or titles but about the kind people we choose to become.
Life won’t always be easy but with faith, perseverance and God’s guiding, we can face whatever comes next.”
Pastor John Carter, a Harlan County elementary principal and a previous RBCS chapel speaker, returned to deliver the commencement address basing it on words from the prophet Zechariah, “do not despise the day of small beginnings,” that the late Rev. C. Robert Landis, a Red Bird Mission teacher and pastor, shared with him many years ago. Pastor Carter encouraged the seniors noting qualities of cardinals and challenging the graduates to emulate Christian qualities ending,
“Do not despise small beginnings. You’ve made it. Now go into the world, and make an impact on your family, your community, the kingdom of heaven, and all of Cardinal Nation!”
Kindergarten Proud
Last Thursday morning’s Kindergarten graduation marked the commencement of the educational journey for Mrs. Chasley Collett’s Red Bird Christian School (RBCS) Kindergarten class. Family members came to the RBCS Chapel proudly celebrating the completion of the first year of learning, leading and serving as RBCS Cardinals. Following is the school’s Facebook post.
Today’s Kindergarten Graduation at Red Bird Christian School was absolutely adorable and so full of joy, laughter, and love. These sweet little graduates stole everyone’s hearts as they sang, smiled, and celebrated this big milestone together. ❤️🖤
Mrs. Chasley pours so much love, patience, encouragement, and care into her students, and it truly shines through in the confidence and happiness of these children. The program was so sweet and heartwarming, and it was clear just how special this class is.
We are so proud of our kindergarten graduates and can’t wait to see all the amazing things God has in store for them in the years ahead!
Preschool graduation made a splash this year at Red Bird Mission.
Instead of a quiet ceremony in a classroom, families gathered out at the campus softball field, where the celebration looked more like a summer block party than a traditional graduation. The preschool staff turned the outfield into a water‑day wonderland, complete with a giant inflatable slide, tiny plastic pools for the littlest ones, and those familiar small picnic tables covered in hot dogs, chips, and drinks. Everywhere you looked, there were wet hair, and kids with big smiles and shrieking with laughter.
That’s the thing about this preschool: they don’t just mark milestones, they celebrate childhood.
In the middle of all the splashing and running, “Miss” Amy called each child up one by one to receive their graduation certificate. Along with the certificate, every preschooler was handed a memory book. Inside were some of their most precious art projects from the year – paint‑splattered pages, tiny handprints, and carefully glued creations that only a preschooler could dream up.
Tucked among those pages were Mother’s Day treasures that had the parents laughing through tears. The kids had been asked questions about their moms and, in true preschool fashion, they answered with their whole honest hearts. Those funny, unfiltered responses – are the kind of keepsakes that end up in drawers and boxes and stay there for decades. As a parent, those are the pieces you reach for when you want to remember who your child was at three and four years old.
Looking back over this preschool year, the water slide party felt like the grand finale to a year full of thoughtful, hands‑on learning.
There was a visit from “Miss” Kayley's farm friends, where the animals weren’t just cute photo props. The teachers used that day to help the children practice “nice hands” – learning how to be gentle, kind, and respectful to living things. Later in the spring, the class took a trip to Pineview Farms to pick out flowers for their moms for Mother’s Day. It wasn’t just a fun outing; it was a quiet lesson in how important it is to make your mom feel special and to think of others.
Every Wednesday, the preschoolers helped prepare a snack that matched the weekly learning theme. Little hands stirred, sprinkled, and spread, turning snack time into a chance to practice following directions, working together, and trying new foods. On Earth Day, the learning moved outside. The children went on a nature scavenger hunt, explored the world around them, and talked about how to take care of our planet. They weren’t just told that the outdoors matter – they got to feel it in the sun on their faces and the dirt on their hands.
All of this comes from a simple belief: preschool isn’t just about learning letters and numbers. It’s about building social and emotional skills, and giving kids chances to grow their bodies and their confidence. Every activity this year – from farm visits and flower trips to cooking days and nature walks – was built around helping children learn how to share, take turns, use kind words, move their bodies, and feel safe and loved in a classroom community.
That commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. Recently, S.T.A.R.S. visited the preschool and awarded Red Bird Mission Preschool a 5 out of 5 star rating – the highest possible. That rating reflects what families already know: this is a place where children are seen, cared for, and given a strong start. Preschool Director Jennifer Wilder was proud of the staff’s accomplishment.
Preschool Educator, Mrs. Amy Collett, is quick to say she doesn’t do this work alone. She is deeply thankful for, Kendra Bowling, Preschool Coordinator, and Kaley Caldwell, Preschool Aid, who she says go above and beyond for their preschoolers every single day. Whether it’s planning special snacks, calming big feelings, or hauling supplies out to the softball field to turn graduation into a water day, they are right in the middle of it all with their kids.
“It’s been a great year,”
Mrs. Amy reflects. Since 1994, she has watched class after class walk through her door, grow, and move on to kindergarten. Every May, a new group of preschoolers steps out into the next chapter of their lives, but for her, they never really leave.
“Each of my preschoolers, past and present, will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.
On graduation day, as wet hair dried and tired kids wrapped up in towels clutching their memory books, it was clear that this wasn’t just the end of a school year. It was a celebration of a season of life well loved – one filled with farm animals, flowers for moms, Wednesday snacks, Earth Day adventures, and teachers who pour their whole hearts into making sure these children know how special they are.
- Kayla Smith, Development Gifts and Media
Serving a Wider Community
Tracy (RBM Community Outreach Director) and Sylvester (Maintenance and Community Housing Improvement Director) Nolan set up and staffed a display Thursday at The Good Continues, a community event for Clay County that celebrates local organizations and businesses promoting positive opportunities. Tracy filed the following report.
We made some great connections with agencies and services at the Good Continues Event! We assisted several people by providing them with Freedom From Smoking Nicotine Replacement Therapy and registration opportunities for Freedom From Smoking classes.
We had Red Bird Christian School applications available for families to pick up. Many families were excited to hear RBCS is now tuition free and offers buses in their area! Sandi Curd, former Red Bird Mission board member, stopped by and spoke with us about grant opportunities and private donations that could go a long way to provide the support needed to sustain free tuition!
Sylvester and I met with the Manchester Mayor and Water Department officials to discuss a possible water kiosk expansion to the Gooserock community after discussing the success of the kiosks in the Red Bird and Oneida communities.
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