• ParkBulletinCover - The Park School

Charlotte RossI am taking the sportsmanship andleadership Park has taught me. I amleaving behind my Park uniform.Gilad SecklerI am taking my people skills. Iam leaving behind the spit thatI emptied out of my tromboneonto Mr. Lyons’ rug.Grif SeeleyI am taking my yearbook. I am leavingbehind an exclusive T-shirt available inthe Park Plaza for only $20. You shouldbuy one!ClassGraduationSpeaker:Brittani JonesGood morning, everyone. Iam honored to speak onbehalf of my class, the Class of2010. Just two weeks ago, I waswalking through the cafeteria andwas pulled aside by Ms. Lucey. Shebrought me to a corner table andtold me to sit down. Instantly, Ithought I was in trouble. But thenshe had this huge grin and said,“Brittani…” and I started yelling,“YES! YES! I WOULD LOVE TO!” Thekitchen staff looked at me from thekitchen and probably thought somethingbad was happening since Iwas so loud. Oops.Ms. Lucey looked at me and said,“Do you even know what I’m goingto ask you?” At that point, Ithought about it and concluded thatI was getting trouble for something,although I wasn’t quite sure why.But turns out that I was right, andshe was, indeed, asking me to be[one of] this year’s graduationspeakers. (And yes, Mom, that meansthat those times staying after schoolweren’t to meet Ms. Barre, or to fixan essay, or to set up for the dance;I was really meeting with Ms. Luceyand Ms. Fries. SURPRISE!) That beingsaid, I am here speaking in front ofall the faculty, parents, alumni, currentstudents, and of course, myfavorite, the Class of 2010!I began my years at Park in2000, starting in Kindergarten, makingthis my tenth year. Ten yearsseems like a long time, but it hasgone by in a blink of an eye. As studentshave come and gone from ourclass, we have created a wonderfuland unique grade. This is why wewill never be forgotten. Our grouphas such a variety of personalities,from quiet ones to some who arealways enthusiastic, and those whohave transitioned from one end ofthe spectrum to the other.We’ve all had our share of transitions,and the results are what yousee here today. No matter what kindof change, I can say one thing: Weare all in front of you as youngadults getting ready to depart. Youhave all witnessed our growth andmaturity, and we thank you for themany lessons you’ve taught us. Wethank you for giving us the opportunityto make and mold who we havebecome today, and for showing uswhat the world has in store. I knowthat we want to do great things inthe future, so I can assure you thatthis will not be the last you hearfrom our class.Mr. Rivera told us that this yearwould fly by us, but I never actuallythought it would. I never thought itwould feel like just yesterday when Iwas walking into the School, anticipatingthe day that we were leavingfor Stump Sprouts, Europe, or evenSix Flags. These are all the thingsthat have brought us closer andhave given me the opportunity toreach out to each of the studentsyou see sitting here behind me.One thing that I will take withme as I make my departure fromPark is what I have learned throughoutmy journey here. The curriculumfor each year isn’t just a mound ofinformation that one has to eventuallybe tested on—it is much more.Often teachers say, “The course youwill be taking this year will be usefulto your later years in highschool, or even college,” and theymean it. I’m now beginning tounderstand the concept of just howwell Park prepares students for thefuture; each subject gives an individualstudent a chance to ruminateupon the lessons and morals thatcome out of each of the courses.For instance:Kindergarten: It was the simplethings like etiquette, holding thedoors for others, sharing, and mostimportantly NOT being greedy andeating each other’s snack!Grades I-III: Learning how tohelp the environment and preservethe rainforest; to become ecofriendly;acknowledging the goodand caring things that other studentsdo, and report it for recognitionin front of the class.Grade VI-VIII: Learning how tomanage money and finances withthe House Project; being creativeand gathering a collection of poemsthat represent us for our PoetryAnthologies.Finally, Grade IX: The last year atPark puts together all the lessonsone has learned from youth. It’s the12 The Park Bulletin | Fall 2010