2022年9月16日

这是自2019年以来的首次, 皇冠体育app小学, 中学, 上学校, and professional community came together in one room to kick off the 2022-2023 school year at Convocation. 在Susan Hecht托福48年体育馆举行, 较低的学校 and 上学校 students sat together on the floor while 中学 students sat in the bleachers.

在校长保罗A致欢迎辞后. 伯克和高年级联席主席安妮克. 23年和茱莉亚·D. 1923年，高中合唱团唱了《皇冠体育app》.他们的声音充满了体育馆，回荡在墙壁上:

“Be the change you want to see in the world, and change will come to you. Be the voice you want to hear in the world, and change will come to you. Be the light you want to shine in the world, and change will come to you.”

皇冠体育app毕业典礼的传统呼唤, 从各学部选出学生领袖发言. 低年级的学生演讲者斯普利哈·G. ’31, kicked off the student speeches by reflecting on her time in 较低的学校, 在大流行之前和期间.

“当我们做虚拟学校的时候, 说实话, I was scared I would never see my friends and teachers ever again. 现在, I realize more than ever that we should always be grateful that we are able to come to Nightingale every day,斯普丽哈分享道, 站在讲台后面的小凳子上. “今年，让我们充分利用在一起的时光. Be excited for the things that you know will be great—like Homecoming—but also be excited to try new things.”

中学生演讲者Sarah B. 27也反映了她在皇冠体育app的时光. 进入第九个年头, Sarah recalled her early days at Nightingale: putting on her tunic and white shirt for the first time, 为开学第一天的照片摆姿势, and how she enjoyed the ease of having so much assistance when she was so young, like having breakfast prepared for her and having help packing her backpack. She also remembered how nervous she was before going to Kindergarten and what the future would hold.

“现在, 我渴望生活更简朴的日子, but also relish the opportunities and challenges that Nightingale has presented to me,莎拉承认道. “我们是否在学习5乘以6是多少, 或者花时间和精力写文章, my teachers have presented a chance for my peers and me to grow as students.”

莎拉分享了她过去如何与写作作斗争, 但在她的老师和世界智慧的帮助下, something clicked and she fell in love with it; a challenge overcome.

“现在, as I look at those Wordly Wise exercises in the rearview mirror, 我面临着一系列全新的挑战. This year I will have to write long informative and interesting essays, 为一位重要的历史人物制作纪念碑, 把自己逼出舒适区,”她说。. “Despite the fact that the past seems comforting—and the future may feel scary—every new year presents a chance to grow, 有一天, 会不会成为让我们留恋的过去. As we begin this new year, let’s all seize the chance to conquer and try new things.”

作为最后一位学生发言，学生会主席Nisa W. ’23 began her speech by acknowledging the past couple years, and the potential of the year ahead.

“当我看着你们所有人的脸, 没有面具或缩放屏幕, 我想我们已经走了多远, 以及我们今年的潜力. This is a big year for many of you: transitioning into a new division, 从另一所学校过来, 结交新朋友, 认识新老师, 很快就毕业, 年级旅行回来了，还有更多,妮莎分享道. ”,说, I want to leave everyone with a rule of thumb that I picked up from my days as an improv kid: the power of Yes, 和. It has many uses, of which Nightingale has used to get us through challenging times. 例如, 当我们的社区想知道我们是否可以表演时, 音乐会和游戏, 我们答应了, 我们不会让面具阻挡我们.”

She continued: “As we move into a new season together as a community, I challenge you all to emerge from that place of comfort and use Yes, 和 to keep changing while you strive for more…when your community turns to you for ideas, 支持, 甚至是快乐, 说“是的, 和, 当你需要我的时候，我就在这里,’”妮莎恳求道. “How could you know what could have been if you didn’t say Yes, 和?”

在一阵难以置信的掌声之后, the 上学校 Chorus sang a perennial favorite: “When I Rise Up.”

跟着歌走, 女校友 Board President Terri Davis-Merchant ’95 delivered the final remarks of the morning.

“What I know from my experience as a student here is that Nightingale provided me with the skills, 信心, 以及接受任何挑战的能力. That is one of the things that I take with me every day from my Nightingale education—and I hope that you will too,”她说。. “作为一名女性，我从皇冠体育app中学到了这一点, 还有一个有色人种的女人, 我可以影响改变.

Ms. Davis-Merchant shared how the skills she learned and experiences she had while at Nightingale are reflected in her personal and professional life every day, 比如在她担任校友会主席期间, 在华尔街三一教堂工作期间, and during her work as program director for the Housing and Homelessness initiative.

和Spriha, Sarah和Nisa一样，Ms. Davis-Merchant urged students to take chances this school year, big or small.

“Be open to new things like talking to someone you don’t know well, join a team or club that you may not have even considered before,她建议道。. “你可能会大吃一惊.”

为了结束2022年的会议. Alexander led the community in the school song, singing “For Nightingale.” For the final time of the day—but the first of many times during the school year—the room filled with Nightingale song.