LETTER FROM THE RECTOR

Dear Chatham Hall Community,

As our Chatham Hall girls know, I never tire of reminding them that their paths to leadership will not look like anyone else’s. These paths will be as unique as they each are, with twists and turns not one of them can imagine yet. Whether it is to run for class office, captain a team, edit a publication, chair a fundraiser, or steer a class conversation, the opportunities for leadership at Chatham Hall are myriad and truly allow students to step outside of their comfort zones to learn the power of their potential. Potential that will, with time, build into lives of impact.

When I think about the journeys to leadership our teens today will undertake, I no longer feel a sinking in my stomach that their lives were inexplicably interrupted by a global pandemic, that they somehow missed out while the world and our lives felt suspended. Instead, I see the determination on their faces and think of one of my favorite quotes.

“I am thankful for all of those who said no to me. It’s because of them I’m doing it myself.”

– Albert Einstein

In the past five semesters, our Turtles have been told no. A lot. They have been told no by external forces, by their parents, by Chatham Hall. Yet they have kept moving forward. They’ve returned to campus again and again with questions to answer, passions to explore, lives to live. They’ve adapted to a new daily schedule, joined our faculty-designed Advanced Classes, and led the way with our inaugural January Term. We’ve asked a lot of them, often while telling them that circumstances necessitate that they can’t do it the same way others did, and they’ve delivered. They’ve taken what they were given, built on it, and created more than we could have imagined.

Building on our past to create a brighter future is a trait displayed by Chatham Hall alumnae whatever their ages or graduation years. It requires an internal spark to look up from the mundane and truly see the world around us, and to ignite that same light in others. When students arrive at Chatham Hall, we know this spark is already there. Simply by arriving at a boarding school we know the curiosity we have been gifted in each girl. It is this curiosity, this boundless potential, that guides each on their journeys. It is remarkable, really, and a gift that we treasure.

To today’s students and our decades of alumnae, I say thank you. Thank you for entrusting us with this gift, this potential, this spark. And thank you for allowing us to walk with you on your journey, even in the hard times when it feels like all you hear is no. We’ve walked together for many semesters now, and I know that you will build lives of your own because I’ve been watching you, and you already are!

Esto Perpetua,

Rachel A. Connell Rector