On 15 May I had the honour of taking part in the 20th anniversary event of Audentes.
I was especially pleased by the invitation, and the event had a very special meaning for me.
The birthday took place in the Audentes Sports Hall. With two hosts and the help of video, music, dance and shadow theatre, guests were shown the Audentes of today: the work of the private school and the children's school, the sports club and sports gymnasium, the e-gymnasium, the hobby and sports centre, the student hostel and the IB programme. The programme ended with a concert by Getter Jaani, a final year student at the Audentes e-gymnasium.
All that technology, two large screens, lighting effects, music, dance, it all left a deep impression on me. The greetings and fragments of memories from the school's founders were especially moving.
Although I have not been connected with Audentes for more than 10 years, at that moment I felt as though I were back in the time I belonged to ten years ago. A wonderfully beautiful and moving programme, half a hall full of familiar faces I had not seen in an age.
After the official part of the event we gathered with the teachers in the private school's rooms and rolled out lovely memories of the past. Do you remember how Fontes became Audentes, the competitions for the logo and the slogan. All those strategy meetings and brainstorms. Do you remember how we finally got our own school building and moved from Liivalaia street in a great procession to our own building on Tondi street. Do you remember the school assembly at the Drama Theatre and the Christmas event at the Sakala centre (which no longer exists), the school's joint quilt making and the charity auction.
Once the teachers started telling their memories of the past, the room rang with laughter and the talk would not stop.
So what connects me with Audentes?
I was head of the Audentes Children's School from August 1996 to May 1999 and can safely call myself the one who got the Audentes Children's School going. Before I took up the post, that is in the spring of 1995, a couple of groups of children attended the Audentes Training Centre, coming once a week for what were called economics courses (computing, economics and English).
At first I came to work at the Audentes Training Centre. But before long the school's director and chair of the board at the time, Tea Varrak, suggested that I should take on running and developing the Children's School unit.
I want to add that Tea Varrak is an incredible person. As Mr Soorumaa said at the anniversary assembly, Tea is the mother of Audentes. That energy and enthusiasm radiating from her was where it all began. Tea was a great leader and mentor to me as well. I am grateful to her for that to this day.
In a word, I took up the offer with interest and off it went... a year later there were already close to 300 children on the Audentes Children's School list. The list of subjects was many times longer: mother tongue, music, handcraft and other subjects needed for a child's all round development were added. As for age groups, at first there was the pre-school (age 6); the Little School (ages 4 to 5) was added, and finally the Toddler School (ages 3 to 4) as well. A year later we opened a branch of the Children's School on Hiiumaa too.
That time, that team, that experience: it was special and memorable for us.
For my part I thank from the heart that whole splendid team who put so much devotion into our undertaking. Among the first activists I would name Ly Reintam, Martin Sillaots, Antti Teepere, Hilli Rand, Mari Martma, Eevi Kees, Gled-Airiin Saarso, Kaido and Anneli (help me remember the surnames). 🙂 Forgive me if you do not find your name here; our team grew quickly. Within a couple of years there were around 30 of us.
It was a shame that the Audentes Business School, which no longer exists, was left out of this great day of celebration and meetings. The lecturers and teachers who worked at the higher school sadly did not get invitations. They too were beloved members of our large and lovely team, and it would have been a great joy to greet them at the birthday as well.
For my part I gave the Audentes Children's School a set of patchwork pictures, "Seasons", as a birthday present.
