2023年9月28日

每年, students and professional community members come together during the first week of school for one of Nightingale’s most special traditions—Convocation—which marks the beginning of the new school year. 今年, students from the Class of 2024 to the Class of 2035 gathered together in the Susan Hecht Tofel ’48 Gymnasium, 让房间里充满了兴奋.

高年级联合主席贝拉·R. 24岁，莱西·B. 24分享道:“今天我们站在你们面前, 我们认识到这点, 他们都是在不同的年份来到皇冠体育app的, 我们每个人都以独特的方式经历了学校的发展. 通过改变和成长, 然而, what binds us together is our shared journey of witnessing Nightingale’s remarkable progress [and] greater interconnectedness.”

记住这一点,莱西继续说, 这也是《皇冠体育app》如此特别的原因之一, 它唤起的是社区意识吗. The speakers today will mark the first opportunity for our schoolhouse as a collective to set its intentions for the coming year: its motto, 如果你愿意.

莱西回想着前一天的高级退修会, 在完全, the Class of 2024 came up with their motto for the school year: Leadership is reflecting on the past, 关注现在，构建未来.

“整个迎新周, 我们花了一些时间来反思我们的旅程, appreciating the heartfelt messages shared between 类 on whiteboards, 走廊里害羞的微笑和击掌的温暖交流, 楼梯上挤满了兴高采烈的低年级学生,贝拉说。.

“很难相信那些低年级学生曾经是我们。”...)所以无论这是你的第一次还是最后一次毕业典礼, we hope you’ll leave here today knowing that each moment at Nightingale is a special one, 总有一天, 比你想象的要快, 这些时刻将成为你最珍贵的回忆,莱西说.

在校长保罗A致欢迎辞后. 高中室内合唱团的伯克站起来唱了“改变”.” It wasn’t long before the rest of the room was clapping to the beat of the song and echoing lyrics back, “...改变就会降临到你身上.”

At each Convocation, one student from each division is selected to speak. With a round of applause, the community welcomed Class IV student Philippa R. 到房间的前面去.

“尽管我知道我们都度过了美好的夏天, I am delighted to be back in the Schoolhouse with all of my 老师 and friends,菲利帕说. “I missed that feeling I have when I walk through the blue doors; that feeling of exhilaration and determination. 没有比这更好的了. 最重要的是，我想念皇冠app安卓下载安装的微笑.”

Philippa shared some of her hopes for the 较低的学校 throughout their upcoming year such as for Kindergarteners to have a great first year, 让四班享受游泳课的乐趣, and for the seniors to have the best time in their last year at Nightingale. 在结束演讲之前，菲利帕分享了三条建议. 第一个建议, 这是她自己写的, 她是在恳求她的同龄人永远尽自己最大的努力吗. 在她的第二条建议中，Philippa引用了Dr. 苏斯:“你脑子里有脑子, 你的鞋子里有脚, 你可以选择任何方向.’ And for her final piece of advice, she quoted Eloise—which was that ‘getting bored is not allowed.’

随后，社区迎来了八班学生Valentina J. 28岁登上领奖台. Valentina introduced herself and lifted her hands and said: “These are my two hands, 还有十个手指, 我知道你们都看着我在想, “那么?和“她在干什么??“好吧, 献给你们都知道的作曲家和钢琴家弗雷德里克·肖邦, he thought that each finger has its own personality and once they unite to play a piece of music, 结果很完美. 这是我在皇冠体育app的第九年了, 我逐渐意识到这个理论再适合不过了.”

瓦伦蒂娜让房间里的人往左边看, 他们的权利, 以及他们身边的人, 想想不同的运动, 类, 以及他们的同龄人参加的课外活动, 以及相互支持的重要性.

“我们都擅长不同的事情, 而是作为一个团队，一起, 我认为我们可以互相帮助，超越个人的界限,瓦伦蒂娜说. “I think we collectively have unique personalities like each of the fingers on the hand, 但是我们一起, 在皇冠体育app, will be able to create beautiful music if all of us came together to support, 帮助, 相互激励——不仅仅是在这一学年, 而是在接下来的许多年里在下层生活, 中间, 高中及高中.”

With a round of applause students then welcomed Student Council President Mya B. 23岁登上领奖台, where she reflected on her years at Nightingale and shared her surprise at how quickly the time passed. Mya urged her peers to pause and think about who they wanted to be when they walked out of the blue doors for the last time, 以及他们在那个时候想要完成什么.

“我们都只有一个低年级, 中学, 或高中经历, 以及我们所做的选择, 我们参加的活动, and the 类 we take all mix together to create who we are at the end of this experience,米娅说. “So ask yourself, are my actions molding me into the person I aspire to be?”

米娅回忆起最近的一次强有力的演讲. 寄养儿童:Chimamanda Adichie的ted演讲， 单一故事的危险.

“在她的演讲中. Foster-Hinds encouraged us not to let a single story or perspective adversely affect the way we look at ourselves and our abilities. 她解释说, ‘A big part of telling your story is looking in the mirror and asking yourself, 我擅长什么, 我好奇的是什么, 我怎样才能学得更多，敢于冒险尝试新事物?’

米亚鼓励她的同龄人反思他们是如何生活的, 对已知的东西感到舒适是多么容易.

“But, it’s in the uncharted territories that we find the magic of self-discovery,米娅说. “当我们强迫自己去探索我们没有尝试过的事情时, we become liberated from groupthink; we become unique individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. So, 今年，我希望你们都能反思一下自己的处境, 反思你去过的地方, 然后问, 我该怎么做才能到达我想去的地方? Here’s to a year of stepping into the new with open hearts and eager minds.”

全场爆发出热烈的掌声. 毕业典礼的最后一位演讲者, 校友会08届副主席Anna Spanfeller在会场发表讲话, 谁代表超过3人发言,700年女校友. Anna discussed her experiences at Nightingale and affinity for this time of year: one that’s filled with new beginnings.

“虽然未来可能充满不确定性, I know from experience that the Nightingale community will have your back throughout it all. 经历了美好的时光和艰难的时光, 你的朋友, 队友, 老师, 顾问, and even the alumnae community will be there to support you and 帮助 you figure out what’s next,”她说。.

高中合唱队唱完《皇冠体育app》后. Burke addressed the community and shared how he recently stumbled upon research about how brief, warm interactions can significantly affect one's energy and sense of happiness throughout the day.

“As I read about this research, I thought as I often do about the magic that is Nightingale. 你看到, Nightingale is a school where students can do the hard work of designing a preferred future precisely because of these minute interactions. 在皇冠体育app，善良和努力并不冲突. 在皇冠体育app，快乐和成就不在竞争中. 在皇冠体育app，我们是好邻居和勇敢的设计师. 在皇冠app安卓下载安装, we walk Kindergarteners up on their first day and then jump headfirst into a course of study that will enable us to create a more sustainable and a more loving future. 在皇冠体育app，我们知道我们可以两者兼顾. 在皇冠体育app，我们知道我们可以两者兼得. ”

Just before the room concluded by singing the school song, “For Nightingale,” Mr. 伯克说:“2024年到2035年的课程, 请永远不要, 永远不要忘记你是我们董事会成立的原因, 我们的父母, 我们的女校友, 我们的专业团体都喜欢皇冠体育app. 我们在这里是为了你们，也是因为你们. 这是我们的一年.”