2013 Commencement Address
Appreciation
Good morning, Everyone! Abraham Lincoln said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” I may remove all doubt today, but thank you for the invitation, nonetheless!
Aahhh…..It’s the last day of school, the first day of summer vacation and the milestone of 8th grade graduation. These are all certainly a reason to rejoice. It’s an exciting day with families and friends leaving for the shore, going up to the lake, June fete-ing it? (I think those plans may have changed!), or maybe simply back home filled with the relief of the ease… of… summer! There will be hugging, congratulating, parties, dancing and delicious food. I even know of a bachelors weekend in the mountains that I have a sneaky suspicion will consist of fishing, lots of laughing and consumption of meat. To quote Psalms, a verse in chap. 118: This is the day that the Lord has made! We will rejoice and be glad in it! Having fun and celebrating momentous occasions is a good and useful thing to do.
And what about ordinary days? Unless it was your birthday, does anyone remember anything specifically about Monday, February 11th? Would that quote from the book of Psalms be applicable then? I think so, and I’d like to tell you why.
First of all, you need to know that I am a dinosaur. An ancient relic. An antique, at least. I’ve been a BACS mom for 20 years, thru a family of my 4 children having been taught by over 50 different teachers, and have known 7 heads of school! Now, there are a few families and individuals with longer tenures of attendance, but 20 years is considerable enough to provide historical perspective. I’ve been on several field trips to the zoo, the Philadelphia art museum, and to Gettysburg. I’ve enjoyed helping with math games, creative writing and recess. And these following examples are why I know there’s much to rejoice about in a “normal” day at BACS.
• You have a music teacher with a classically funky sense of style, a risky mode of transport, and he serenades you with his guitar as you enter the building in the morning, OR the French horn as you leave in the afternoon. As I’ve heard several young men around here say, “Mr. Odhner’s BOSS!”
• Smiles pervade the place! Particularly I’m thinking of Ms. Cronlund’s ear-to-ear grin, deep with dimples, that is always available for the taking! And Mrs. Carr has a never ending smile, too. Her twinkly eyes sparkle so much that I couldn’t suppress a smile in return if I tried.
• Mrs. Nash? She (P) has a sacred respect for the Gettysburg National Cemetery, and as an American having recently observed Memorial Day, I’m deeply appreciative of that.
• Mrs. Morey wears a special W-T-P dress for the 1st grade play. And when the play alternates to Beatrix Potter, I’ll bet there’s an outfit hanging in her closet for that too.
• Mrs. Conaron LOVES being a teacher of 3rd graders, and she LOVES being a mom! She’s thrilled to be able to do both jobs.
• Mrs. Conroy willingly stays after the school day to help students with support for grammar, literature, punctuation, composition. She does that freely to help her students succeed.
• Some days it’s difficult for Mrs. DeMaria’s students to say goodbye. I’ve witnessed precious first grade girls sobbing outwardly, and adorable first grade boys, in their own words, “crying with their hearts.”
• How Mr. Hyatt and Mr. Henderson take cute and sometimes awkward 6th grade boys and eventually turn them into respectable young men, ready for ANC, is beyond me!
• Mrs. Switzer weaves magic in her classroom and seems to create a family unit within, year after year.
• Miss Emily Adams has such a calm, accepting and kind demeanor. What a gift in working with those earlier mentioned 6th grade boys and the giggly girls!
• For many years Mrs. Soneson has helped her 3rd graders prepare for their entrance into the Christmas program singing the perennial favorite “How Far Is It To Bethlehem?” She can probably direct them in her sleep. And the 3rd grade consistently delivers!
• Several times I’ve heard that Mrs. Frey is…THE….BEST…TEACHER….EVER!
• Mr. R challenges the guys to intense badminton, honing their skills, spotting them a few points, giving them the “infinitesimal” smidgeon of hope that they can slam one down on their PE teacher.
• And Mrs. Childs? She answers THOUSANDS of buzzers, bells, beeps, rings and emails per year! Plus she keeps it all straight, organized and communicated properly. And guess what? She smiles, too!
I could go on and on. Hopefully, the picture is clear. There is much to appreciate within this community that is called BACS. The dedication is extraordinary, the caring is above and beyond, and the kindness is constant.
So, eighth grade, what does this have to do with you? After all, you’re leaving, right?
Well, when you develop a mindful awareness of your blessings, those blessings magnify and increase. Ease is felt. Positive solutions appear, negative problems minimize. The exhilaration of love, joy, and trust in the Lord expand, while fear, anger and indifference fade. Oprah Winfrey said, “Be thankful for what you have. You’ll end up having more.”
Another Lincoln quote, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” I’d wager that all of you could easily think of three blessings, or reasons to rejoice, for having been a student at BACS. And I invite you to share them with each other, your parents and family, your former teachers or myself. I’d love to hear them.
Also, it’s beneficial to develop this mindful awareness so that your ANC experience can become fuller, more memorable than it would be otherwise. Although you’ll be there for four years, it most likely will feel like two. The faculty and administration are just as dedicated, caring and kind. They too will want for your success. And as you focus your attention on the blessings at ANC, even if it is a dreary gray Monday morning in February, the positive sphere you create will help to uplift others. It can be subtly infectious, even if not obvious. And that’s useful to the neighbor. Everyone benefits.
Now, a couple of “birdies” have told me that the high school is eagerly looking forward to the arrival of this class. They should be. You’re a great class, and I’m not merely saying that because it’s an appropriate time or I’m being a sentimental mother. However, one quick tip, eighth grade. A gimme. Develop a sincere relationship with your school secretary. Girls, for you this is Mrs. Carolyn Pitcairn, and boys for you it will be Mrs. Brannon. This lady will be your friend, your advocate, your cheerleader, she’s the busy mom of the school, an obvious –but- easily -overlooked blessing in your high school life. Occasionally, instead of stopping into her office to copy a permission slip, or grab from her candy dish….give her your best smile, with a word of genuine thanks for all that she does, resupply her candy dish, pick her daffodils in spring. These two multi-talented women are the assistants to the Principals, yet want to be useful to each and every one of you. A-MAZ-ING.
On this day of rejoicing, celebrating, high-fiving and present giving, if we can look around and take a moment to realize our good fortune, be thankful and be glad, our lives will be hugely enriched. Regardless if we’ve been a member of this wonderful school community for one year, nine years, 20 or more years, when we see the smiles of the people the Lord has placed in our lives, we know of our true prosperity.
“This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Let’s go do just that. Today …..and every single day.
Thank you.
Kris Pitcairn