SSE Commencement Day: Seattle, WA
On June 21, 2026, the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Seattle Eastside celebrated its annual Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) Commencement Day. The event united students, parents, teachers, and center members to honor a year of learning, growth, and devotion. Students from Pre-SSE through Group 4 presented creative performances centered on core human values.
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Pre-SSE: The youngest students shared the story of the squirrel helping Lord Rama build a bridge, conveying that no act of service is too small and everyone can contribute with love.
- Group 1 (6 to 9 years) : Through a skit titled Parts with a Purpose, students used the human body to illustrate the five human values, emphasizing that no part is big or small - every part has a unique purpose. They ended with a song celebrating love, peace, truth, and bliss reside within everyone.
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Group 2 (9 to 12 years) : Ten students performed three engaging skits depicting the childhood of Sri Sathya Sai Baba: highlighting His teachings through songs and poems; early recognition of His divine nature by his teachers and friends; the event surrounding the scorpion bite, preceding His declaration of His divine mission. For the 10 students, the performance was a journey of learning teamwork as they collaborated on writing scripts, creating backdrops, rehearsing, recording and editing dialogues, preparing background music, and bringing their characters to life. One student reflected that the day marked a new beginning centered on responding to difficult situations with calmness, kindness, and silence rather than harsh words.
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Group 3 (12 to 15 years) : Using a courtroom drama format, students tackled three modern moral dilemmas— dealing with rule-breaking friends, finding money, and online bullying—reinforcing the importance of choosing honesty and fairness over peer pressure or convenience.
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Group 4 (15 - 18 years) : Students connected the spiritual narratives of Lord Krishna with Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings through a play focusing on selfless love, duty, genuine friendship, and placing others' welfare above personal greed. The play offered a meaningful reminder that our choices shape who we become and that living with love and a sense of duty can lead to positive outcomes.
Following the performances, two graduating Group 4 students shared how SSE provided a strong foundation of human values to help them navigate real-life challenges as they transition to undergraduate studies. The reflections of the graduating students captured the deeper meaning of Commencement Day—not simply the completion of another year of SSE, but the beginning of a new journey where the values learned are carried into everyday life. Certificates were awarded to all students to celebrate their dedication, and the program concluded with devotional songs.