What is the Rose Ceremony?

The Rose Ceremony heralds the beginning of each school year. Sharing a tradition common to many Waldorf schools across the globe, The Waldorf School of Philadelphia honors the first grade students on their first day of entering the grade school with a milestone event: the Rose Ceremony.

On this special day, first graders are presented with a single red rose by an eighth grade student. The Rose Ceremony is a touchstone for both grades: the first graders are about to gain a new sense of self, while the eighth graders are on the cusp of entering young adulthood.

The Rose Ceremony marks the beginning of a year-long journey together for the first and eighth graders. Throughout the year they will work together, with the eighth graders acting as shepherds and guides for the first graders through festivals, celebrations, and special teaching moments, such as learning how to knit.