2019 – 2020 ACADEMIC YEAR
SPEAKERS on cam Ben Hardesty
Singer-Songwriter Making a surprise visit to GSB last fall, Ben Hardesty, lead singer and songwriter from The Last Bison, met with choir students in the chapel. According to Music Director David Southerland, "Over the past few years, our choir performed a couple of songs by the band, including ‘Cypress Queen’ and ‘Autumn Snow.’ While contacting Ben about a possible Spring Unit event, he said he was currently in Far Hills visiting his father-in-law, and then he offered to come to school! This was a tremendous opportunity for our students to hear a recording artist talk about life as a musician – and then to hear him sing!" CYPRESS QUEEN By Ben Hardesty On and over the northwest river We go trusting in the Cypress Queen She'll keep us afloat We retreat into our fortress gold To a sanctuary in the trees That I call home Trees that I call Day arise in solitude I will strain to find The root from the vine that saved my life And beam from the light that gave me sight A glimpse of what I call home Stay the course And through the brushwood break Brier and thorns that don't A trail we make To climb the storms or brooded crowns with haste And plunge into the tannic acid stains Plunge into the Day arise in solitude I will strain to find The root from the vine that saved my life And beam from the light that gave me sight A glimpse of what I call home 18
Nic Stone
New York Times Best-Selling Author Inspires GSB Students Sharing her stories, inspiration, and passion for reading and writing, New York Times best-selling author of Dear Martin, Nic Stone, spent a morning at GSB. She told Upper School students that as a child she never saw herself reflected positively in book characters and “hated to read.” Then, discovering as a writer she could create the books about the people she does want to imitate, her life changed. She encouraged the captivated audience to use their voices, speak their truth, and continue pursuing their dreams.
