Autumn Views: Year in Review

Head of School Newsletter, Aug. '21 Special Class of 2021Edition

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IN THIS ISSUE 04

From the Desk of Dr. Autumn A. Graves

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Class of '21Matriculation List

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Photo Year in Review: Pre-School

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Photo Year in Review: Lower School

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Photo Year in Review: Middle School

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Photo Year in Review: Upper School

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Photo Year in Review: Residential Life

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All the News You May Have Missed

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FROM THE DESK OF DR. AUTUMN A. GRAVES 111TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY REMARKS The following isan excerpt of the remarksI gave at the 111th Commencement ceremony on June 4, 2021. It hasbeen edited for length and content. ? Dr. Graves

rising 9th graders to shape their Upper School experience with three words that start with the letter P: Problem solving, Preparation, and Perseverance.

And, I am going to do the same thing this morning with three more P words to describe the characteristics of an exemplary citizen and visionary leader: Positive, Passionate, and People-Centered.

THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HATH MADE. LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. Good Morning! On behalf of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and student body it is my distinct honor to welcome you to the 111th Commencement exercises of St. Anne?s-Belfield School.

Today marks an important moment in the life of our School, in the life of today?s 105 graduates and their families.

This is a day of celebration. I hope you will join me in being excited about the future these students will shape ? not just as alumni of our School but as global citizens.

BE POSITIVE Well, this year exemplified what happens when a senior class decides to be positive. Despite feeling like the world was against you having the senior year imagined, you continued to find ways to build and sustain your spirit and love for each other and the School. I feel you exemplified one of my favorite leadership quotes, ?Being positive in a negative situation is not being naive. It?s leadership.?

And I am especially grateful for your positive leadership this year.

BE PASSIONATE

I feel very confident that these 105 scholars, athletes, artists, community activists, siblings, servant leaders, and friends will make a mark in our world. They have been guided, cajoled, challenged, educated, and inspired not only to be exemplary citizens, but visionary leaders.

And now more than ever do we need visionary leaders. Not in the future, but right now.

After watching the capstone presentations, seeing the Runway Show, reading articles in the Belfield Banter, attending the Cabaret, listening to Chapel Talks, cheering on our Saints at a football game that was played against so many odds, enjoying countless musical performances in Chapel and seeing first hand your dramatic artistry and team work during my cameo appearance in the spring production of ?The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,? I saw evidence of passion. A passion that brought joy to you, even though it may have been hard.

But leadership, especially leadership that changes hearts and minds, is not easy work. If it were, our society would not be in the distress that it is today. It is the life work for us humans who embrace passion, positivity, and people.

Seniors, you are receiving lots of advice these days. Many adults think that due to their age or lived experience they have some knowledge to drop on you that you should pick up.

And, there are times when I am one of those adults. But today, I will not impart new knowledge. Instead, I want to remind you that you already have the wisdom needed to make great decisions and be a fulfilled person. You got it right here at St. Anne?s-Belfield.

These are lessons you learned throughout your career here. Yesterday, in our 8th grade graduation, James Buford, the Class of 2025 Class Cup Recipient, shared a way for the

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I believe you learned about and then practiced being passionate about new endeavors because of the curiosity St. Anne?s encouraged in each of you. In your pursuit for knowledge, you became insistent on learning more and then doing something with what you learned. Even when it was hard. Often it was your creativity that led to impactful results.

Remember, ?working hard for something we don?t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.?

BE PEOPLE-CENTERED Without question what makes St. Anne?s-Belfield, St. Anne?s-Belfield are the relationships teachers, coaches, advisors, and staff have with our students and the relationships we foster between students.

And, it is the emphasis on people that grounds our work in cultivating integrity in our students and in their relationships with the adults and with each other. Learning to be honest and speak your personal truth with civility in a diverse community will set you apart from so many others. Especially people who are in defined leadership roles. You have and will be able to further discourse in ways that could change minds and hearts.

One of my favorite musicians, Bono, the U2 lead singer, humanitarian, and activist, states, ?The power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power.?

Please continue to be positive, passionate, and people-centered.

Now, we have come to the moment in our ceremony where the head of school usually shares his perspective of the graduating class and how they have made a mark on their school.

But as any good leader knows, sometimes it?s better to outsource to an expert. And today, we are all grateful that just the right person was available to share a beautiful narrative about the Class of 2021. This year?s commencement speaker is no stranger to this stage or to this class, Mr. David Lourie.

Watch the full Commencement ceremony, including Dr. Graves?sand Mr. Lourie?sremarks, online.

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OH, THE PLACES THEY'LL GO Where the Class of 2021Is Going to College Berklee College of Music Boston College Bridgewater College Brown University Bucknell University Clemson University Colgate University College of Charleston Colorado State University - Fort Collins Connecticut College Davidson College Denison University Emory University Franklin & Marshall College Georgetown University Harvard University Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Howard University Ithaca College James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Loyola Marymount University Macalester College Miami University - Oxford Mississippi State University New York University Northwestern University Oberlin College Old Dominion University Pennsylvania State University Piedmont Virginia Community College Purdue University Radford University Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College

Sewanee: The University of the South Southern Methodist University St. Lawrence University The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Towson University Tulane University of Louisiana University of California - Berkeley University of California - Davis University of California - Irvine University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Florida University of Maryland - College Park University of Missouri - Columbia University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of Richmond University of South Carolina University of Southern California University of Toronto University of Toronto Scarborough University of Virginia University of Waterloo University of Wisconsin - Madison Ursinus College Vanderbilt University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Military Institute Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Washington University in St. Louis West Virginia Wesleyan College William & Mary Williams College Wingate University Wofford College

OUR YEAR IN PHOTOS: PRE-SCHOOL

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STUDENT DIVERSITY LOWER SCHOOL

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STUDENT DIVERSITY MIDDLE SCHOOL

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STUDENT DIVERSITY UPPER SCHOOL

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RESIDENTIAL LIFE

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ALL THE NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED Stories Starting the 2021-21School Year

Making Computer Science Accessible to All

Stereotypes & First Impressions

Online & On-Campus Summer Programs Ignite New Ways of Learning

Jack D. '23 Earns Congressional Award Bronze Medal

Ally A. '22 Interviews Founder of OESH Shoes Dr. Casey Kerrigan

Pre-School Summer Camp: Safe Outdoor Learning Our First All-School Chapel of the Year The Middle School Performs "Wendy & Peter Pan" Community Building Through Family Fest Reflecting on Our COVID-19 Response Reflecting on Our Community Service Intensive An Introduction to Dr. Graves Dr. Graves's Middle School Chapel Introducing the First Head of School Newsletter Camp Holiday Trails Goes Virtual The Future of Outdoor Pre-School Dr. Graves's Lower School Chapel

Our Top Stories of 2020 Announcing Marie Reed as Head of Middle School Announcing Lisa Keeler as Head of Lower School Message on the Events at the U.S. Capitol Dr. Graves's Upper School Chapel Exploring Life Skills & "The Four D's" The Second Head of School Newsletter UVA Students Collaborate With Teacher Walker Richmond on Lessons of Religious Literacy, Civic Dialogue & Civil Rights

Celebrating the Spring 2021Orchestra Concert Announcing Our New Director of Athletics 14 Student-Athletes Honored in Signing Ceremony Students Thrive in Comparative Religions Senior Seminar Olivia W. '22 Receives First D1Offer from Radford Alexa V. '23 Publishes E-Book Based on Independent Study Findings Students Publish 2021Art Magazine, "Plum"

In Support of the AAPI Community

"Summer of Change:" Izzy S. '24 on Her Climate Change Internship

Andy Wood '18 Innovates Sustainable Agriculture with Local Food Hub

The Groundskeepers Visit The School

Noelle R. '22 Conducts an Independent Study on

Interviewing Business Owner Darius Wynn '12

Podcasts It's Going To Be Okay, Ep. 1

Ibram X. Kendi with Ellie P. '21and Cheryl O. '21

Behind the Saints, Ep. 1

It's Going To Be Okay, Ep. 2: Reflections on Parenting

Autumn Views, Ep. 1: The Purpose of Love

Behind the Saints, Ep. 2: Alumni Brothers Reunite

Belfield Banter, Ep.1: Reflections on interviewing

ART & Soul, Ep. 1: Jeremy C. '21Signs a Record Deal

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Behind the Saints, Ep. 3: Gia W. '21Commits to University of Missouri to Play Soccer It's Going To Be Okay, Ep. 3: Early Literacy Is a Journey, Not a Reading Race.

CONNECT WITH US Get t h e Lat est Sch ool Updat es in t h e Week ly Belf ield Bu llet in

List en t o ou r Podcast , Raise We Our Voices, n ew episodes r eleased ever y ot h er w eek .

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