One Story Week

One Story Week is a time when our entire Lower School community comes together around a shared book. Every child is invited into the same story, the same conversation, and the same spirit of wonder. It’s a joyful opportunity to build connections across grade levels while exploring big ideas together.

This year, The Littlest Drop by Sasha Alper, with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, offered a perfect lens for exploring themes of kindness, belonging, courage, and the incredible things that happen when small actions come together to make a big impact. In the story, a fire threatens the forest, and a tiny hummingbird continues to carry drops of water, inspiring the larger animals to join in. Together, students explored the power of individual action, unity, and care for the world around us.

The week unfolded in a thoughtful and engaging progression for students. To begin the week, students were invited to decorate and design their 2026 One Story Week t-shirts, bringing their own creativity and connection to the story to life. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, students worked in mixed-age groups (pre-K through 2nd grade and 3rd through 5th grade), participating in a variety of hands-on, collaborative activities. On Thursday afternoon, students came together to meet one of The Littlest Drop illustrators, Brian Pinkney.

We were thrilled to welcome Brian Pinkney to Westtown Lower School this year. Brian shared his journey as a creator, from growing up in a family of artists to developing his own voice as both a writer and illustrator. He spoke about the importance of practice, creativity, and perseverance, and gave students a glimpse into how his ideas grow from simple sketches into fully realized stories. His warmth and humor made a lasting impression on our students.

Leading up to their assembly with Brian Pinkney, throughout the week, students collaborated across grade levels, building connections as they engaged in experiences rooted in The Littlest Drop’s themes. Activities included:

• ~Creating collaborative murals
• ~Designing kindness water droplets
• ~Learning and performing a song with accompanying American Sign Language (ASL)
• ~Reenacting parts of the story
• ~Participating in teamwork-based relay challenges
• ~Exploring science concepts like water volume and surface tension

One Story Week is a reminder of what makes Westtown Lower School such a special place. It’s a week centered on children, their curiosity, their creativity, and their capacity to learn from and with one another. Watching students collaborate across grade levels, take pride in their creations, and engage so thoughtfully with the story has been a true highlight. The success of One Story Week is made possible by an extraordinary team of educators who pour their energy into every activity, lesson, and interaction with students. We are grateful for their care and dedication in bringing this experience to life. We hope our students carry these experiences, connections, and ideas with them well beyond this week. ~Karyn Payton, Lower School Principal

Thank you to the One Story Week 2025 Committee: Heather Tannenbaum, Kelly Nicholson, Alicia George, Colby Van Alen , Mamta Singh, Lauren Cusick, and Marion Dear ’83.

Enjoy the gallery of photos here!