Tartu Veeriku School was founded in 1987 on the 1st of September as a bilingual primary school. With a new school came school traditions and ever since the beginning, Tartu Veeriku School has been able to carry them throughout the years whilst adding more recent traditions and events to go along with.
One of the most recognisable traditions Tartu Veeriku School is known for is the Christmas play that’s shown multiple times to various people each year. These people include students from different forms, teachers, parents, and residents at Tartu Perekodu Käopesa. For every year there is a new fairy tale to be told and this year it was „Princess Rosette “. The Christmas play has been organised by Reet Tallo for 15 years and many students wish to take part in it. In addition, the play doesn’t include just acting, but also dancing, singing, acrobatics and fantastic stage decorations, which have earned a lot of positive feedback from the audience.
Along with the Christmas play comes the tradition of going to Pauluse church and singing classic Christmas songs together at school. Students are not required to take part in these events but most still decide to join. There are no dance programmes at the church, but the choirs and soloists are still included.
Another tradition that most Veeriku School students always look forward to is the Veurovision. Veurovision is a talent-show-like music event that is held on the 14th of Feburary, Valentine’s day. All forms can take part in it and express themselves. Veurovision is a word play on Eurovision and Veeriku, as it’s the music competition held only at Veeriku School. As mentioned before, all forms can take part and the judging is done by diving forms into grade groups. For example, the form 7th students will compete against 8th and 9th form students etc. There are regular rules for Veurovision as well, like the duration of a song and the number of groups that can perform from one form. Some judges for Veurovision are long-term and Veeriku School even invites somebody to be a guest judge every year. The winner from each age group will earn a small golden trophy in the shape of a music note and everybody gets a participation paper. There are also prizes that individuals, who stand out the most, can win.
Other events scattered throughout the school year include concerts. For example, the birthday of Tartu Veeriku School is in October and a simple concert will take place in the school to celebrate. However as last year was the 30th anniversary of Tartu Veeriku School, a grand concert was held at the theatre Vanemuine, where not only students were allowed but also parents and everyone who had bought the ticket. The performance groups range from dancers, choirs, soloists, musicians, and acrobatics. The grand concert last year also included previous students of Tartu Veeriku School who came to help by taking part in the programme.
The other important concert is held to celebrate the birthday of our country, Estonia. The layout of the concert or the event is the same as most concerts however since Tartu Veeriku School has been recognised for its use of technology, new ideas have been brought in. Last year a video was made of students talking about their school and answering simple questions. Presumably another similar video will be shown this year as well.
A spring concert or a Mother’s Day concert is full of creativity, as the artworks and handy crafts of students are put up on the walls on the first-floor corridor. This gives the guests, most likely parents, and students themselves, a chance to look at all the creations and realise how much hard work has gone into the pieces over the span of the school year. Relating to Mother’s Day, there are the events of Father’s Day, which take place quite early in the school year. Father’s Day doesn’t have its own concert but that doesn’t mean children and their parents cannot enjoy themselves. Instead people can sign up for multiple workrooms that take place during the evening and do all sorts of fun activities ranging from reading, dancing, building, or creating something and so on. There’s even one workroom where a biscuit cake is made for the quest. After the activities are over, families can enjoy the cake together in the assembly hall.
All of these are just a few traditions that Tartu Veeriku School has been able to create and hold on to. Though fewer older students are as interested as the younger ones, these events have still earned positive feedback. Tartu Veeriku School is still developing and while the traditions are carried on and kept in mind, new ones are sure to come.
