Be True to Yourself and Share Kindness

Westchester Country Day School opened the 2021-2022 school year with a Convocation ceremony on Aug. 25. The program welcomed students and faculty for the start of the new year and introduced the senior class.

Senior Olivia Beaver, student government president, shared remarks with the school community emphasizing the special impact Westchester has on all students. She also encouraged members of the school community to be true to themselves and practice kindness to one another each day. The full text of her speech is reprinted below.

Good morning Westchester students, faculty, and families and welcome to the first day of school! I have a feeling that this is going to be an unforgettable year and one of the best ones yet. This is my 13th year at this school, and it has felt like a home to me every day for the past 12 years. The community we foster here is unbeatable and we are all constantly surrounded by kind people who feel like true family. I have learned so many valuable lessons and I have grown as a person more than I could have at any other school in my years at Westchester. I am so grateful for the time I have spent here, and it’s crazy to think that this is the closing chapter for my years as a student at Westchester. Today I want to share about what my years at Westchester have meant to me, and I want to emphasize to you all what a special place it is.

I am so grateful for everything that this school has given and taught me over the last 12 years. There is so much to show gratitude for within our school, but I want to highlight some things in particular. First of all, I want to give a huge thank you to all of the faculty and staff. The teachers are such special people that truly care about the students and their well-being. They want their students to not only succeed in their class but also succeed in whatever life throws their way. I have experienced firsthand the kindness and generosity that the teachers show at Westchester; every year I have felt so connected with my teachers and I knew that they cared about me. The kindness that the teachers show here is truly from the heart; they aren’t putting on an act to be this way to students, and this is what sets them apart compared to other schools. They are always there lending a hand whenever students need help or even if students are just having a bad day. The teachers and faculty truly are one of a kind. To all of the parents of new and returning students here, I promise that your child will be well taken care of and cherished by the teachers and faculty. 

To all of the parents of new and returning students here, I promise that your child will be well taken care of and cherished by the teachers and faculty. 

The next thing I want to highlight is the community here as a whole. With Westchester being a small school, we have a very tight-knit community where everyone supports each other. From parents to students to faculty, there is a close relationship bonding us all together as one. From Lower School to Middle School to Upper School, we are all connected. In my years at Westchester, I have experienced this community and I am truly grateful to be surrounded by such encouraging and loving people. When I think of the community at Westchester, one of the first words that comes to my mind is kindness. It is true there is always room for improvement, but I have always experienced true kindness from everyone here and that’s what makes it so special. 

Lastly, I want to highlight the growth that I have experienced in myself and witnessed in my classmates all throughout the past 12 years. Our mission at Westchester is “to educate each child toward moral, academic, athletic and artistic excellence.” I want to focus on moral excellence. Westchester has taught me how to be a morally well-rounded individual; it has taught me how to be my best self. One thing that sticks out to me that I have learned here is that you don’t have to care about what others think of you. All that matters is being true to yourself and being an authentic version of yourself. This applies to students in kindergarten through 12th grade; it is never too early to start being your best self. No two of us are the same or perfect, so accepting each other for who we are is what will make us the best version of ourselves. The world today is full of so much judgment, so let’s make Westchester a safe place free of judgment and instead, full of genuine kindness.

Another very important trait that I have gained in my years here is determination. The academics at Westchester are definitely rigorous and challenging, but it is important to go through these situations because it has taught me how to work hard and push through to get the result I want for myself. Determination is a very important trait to have all throughout life, and Westchester creates determined and hard-working students that will thrive in college and beyond. The last standout area of growth is when it comes to public speaking and presenting, Westchester does an outstanding job of incorporating that into the curriculum; public speaking used to be a fear of mine, but now standing in front of you all today, I really enjoy the opportunity to share with an audience. Westchester has helped to shape me into the confident and determined person that I am today, and I am grateful for all of the many lessons it has taught me.

Westchester has helped to shape me into the confident and determined person that I am today, and I am grateful for all of the many lessons it has taught me.

Today is a day full of “new” for all of us. For new students, today is a day of new and exciting changes for you, but I’m sure there are also some nerves. I promise that you will feel at home at Westchester, and after today you will feel like you’ve been here forever. For those moving from Lower to Middle School, today is the day of no more line leaders or cabooses. Today is the start of independence and responsibility with a whole new workload. For those of you who are moving from Middle to Upper School, today is the start to even more independence and responsibility; it’s the beginning of the road to college. As crazy as that sounds, I promise these next four years will fly by, so I encourage all of you to make the most of your time here and live every day to the fullest.

And finally, to my fellow senior class, today is the start of all of the “lasts” for us. It is our last first day of school at Westchester. As bittersweet as it is, I want all of you to realize what a privilege it has been to be here in this amazing place with each other for all of these years. I want to make this a year to remember and if we all work together to be our best, I know it will be.

Kindness is the key to community, and if we continue being the kindest versions of ourselves, we can strengthen our already strong community here. I encourage everyone listening right now to make an effort to show kindness every day. Whether it’s something as small, but meaningful as a compliment or something more than that, take time and do it. Our world needs more kindness in it, and we can start right here in this school making a difference. Thank you for listening, and have a great first day!

Olivia Beaver
Class of 2022
Student Government President