Meet Our Lower School Leaders

Politically Correct

Orietta Grady ’29 and Brooks Daviet ’29 Represent Lower School on Student Council

We the People! Back on Election Day in November, Lower School students seized the opportunity to “go to the polls” (in this case, voting booths), and select two fourth graders to represent them on the Lower School Student Council. Candidates had given speeches as to why they would be the best choice for change. The winners? President Orietta Grady and Vice President Brooks Daviet.

Here’s what they had to say about serving other students:

Q: Why did you want to run for student council?

Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a representative on Student Council?

A (Orietta): One thing I really want to accomplish during this school year is to bring back cookie day. A lot of kids have asked me to help bring it back and I would like to do so. I also want to make a school garden where we can plant fruits and veggies to help people in need. Many friends in the lower school wanted to do this last year. I will need a lot of help from students, teachers and parents to make this wish come true.

A (Brooks): I’d like for us to have better equipment at recess. And I just want to be a voice that can represent other Lower School students.

Q: You recently participated in the interview process when we were hiring a new Head of Safety and Security. What was that like?

A (Orietta): It felt good to be doing something that will affect the whole school. It was fun to hang out with friends and get to know other kids in other grades. I liked hearing about the security officers’ lives and experiences. I learned about their job and how they would protect us and do anything to keep us safe.

A: (Brooks): It was pretty cool meeting kids from other grades and interviewing the candidates. I felt like we had a hand in something big, and that we were making a difference.

Q: What do you think makes a good leader?

One Smart Cookie

When you ask Riley Glenn how she got her baking business started, she will smile and say, “Well…it all started with my Grammy.”

“Grammy” is Riley’s grandmother, and the two started baking together when Riley was just a toddler. Early on they used box mixes, but as Riley grew older, she graduated to making cakes and cookies from scratch. Her and Grammy started delivering goodies to friends—maybe someone who was recuperating from a surgery or laid up with an illness.

The idea for a business came about when Riley was at a neighbor’s graduation party. One of the guests had heard that Riley baked and offered to pay her to bake a cake for him. “That kind of freaked me out because I had never had anyone offer to buy a cake from me.” she said. But when she realized how much she enjoyed it—and how she could make some spending money—she decided to start researching how to start her own baking business. Her first stop—her friend India’s house. India was a fellow culinary artist, and the two decided to team up to create their own baking business, The Little Bakery.

The first step? Marketing! Riley and India went door-to-door through their neighborhood, bearing cake samples and a menu with their information. Soon they were dishing out desserts for dozens of neighbors and pocketing profits along the way. “We got to know a lot of people this way, which was really nice,” Riley said.

There were definitely some stressful times along the way for the third-grader. “There was a time I was like, ‘whoops, I’m overbooked here,’ and the customer had to come over and get the order.” (Usually The Little Bakery uses DoorDash for deliveries.) But through experience, Riley learned how to balance her time so both she and her customers are happy.

Even with her new business booming, Riley still finds time to bake with her beloved Grammy. And no one will be surprised when she shares what she thinks is the best part of the whole gig—“licking the spoon!”

Interested in learning more about Riley’s business or ordering from her? Email her at thelittlebakery.nc@gmail.com.

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Learn About Cannon's Lower School

Early Childhood - JrK/K

Learn about Cannon's foundational grades of Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten.

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F irst Grade

First grade is an exciting developmental year!

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S econd Grade

In second grade, the student is at the core of all that we do.

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T hird Grade

Third grade is a fun-filled year of growth and change for both students and parents.

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F ourth Grade

Cannon School's learning support program is designed to help students with learning differences become successful learners and self-advocates.

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