2017 Senior Dinner

If I am honest, I must admit that I came to the

Seniors at the Jr/Sr Retreat

Senior Dinner fatigued. My morning had started with a 5:30 yoga class at the Stowe YMCA in Belmont, and my day had been full. I entered the Henry Center with a strong sense of duty. Greeting all the senior parents made me feel better. This evening is an important milestone and tradition in the life of our seniors and their parents. Soon we all moved to our tables, and I gravitated to the group of faculty members and administrators seated in the far corner. After a delicious meal that Flik Dining Services prepared, the juniors began to introduce our seniors, one at a time, and present each of them with a gift. 

As one junior after another describe their senior counterpart, called them forward, and gave them each a present, my mood began to change. Every senior was so accomplished, so outstanding, so admirable!! While listening to each junior describe the career aspirations of each of the seniors, I found myself thinking, "Yes, he will make a great doctor!" or "Yes, she will be a fine attorney." Not a single senior's goal or plan seemed farfetched or unrealistic. One after another, I was overwhelmed with the talent and character of our senior class. My pride in our school in general and our senior class in particular began to swell. I would make a comment in a whisper to one of my other colleagues at our table about just how fantastic each senior was, and they would nod and comment, "You are so right!!" 

The juniors who introduced the seniors were all poised and well prepared. They spoke from the heart. At times, their comments were genuinely moving. At other times, their sense of humor really did make the audience laugh. Again, I thought to myself, what a fantastic group of young adults we have as students at Gaston Day School!! How could we be so fortunate!! What a great job our school is doing in preparing them for the future!! 

Every senior who was called forward was impressive. Finally, I reflected that it was impossible not to be optimistic about the future at a Gaston Day School Senior Dinner. There is so much in the world and our country to be concerned about. But not here. Here we are about to graduate roughly forty of the finest, best educated, most dedicated young citizens that I have ever seen!! At least at Gaston Day, the future really is bright!

At last, I could not contain myself. I took out my pen and wrote on the evening program, "What a fabulous group of young people!!" and held it up to show all my colleagues at the table. Everyone smiled and nodded enthusiastically. This was not false pride. Our seniors are the real deal, the genuine article--they are totally fabulous!! Carolyn Senter, College Counselor, who was sitting beside me, leaned over and said, "You should get up, Richard, and tell everyone what you just wrote. They need to know it too!" So I asked Head of Middle and Upper School, Kim Perlman, if I could conclude the evening and give impromptu remarks.

So that is what I did. When I told the audience of parents and students just how fabulous they are, all the adults nodded approval. They knew it too. You could not be in that room and not recognize just how outstanding our seniors really are!!! I wish you could have been there. You would have been so impressed and inspired!!

I wasn't the least bit tired as I walked to my car after the program concluded. What a refreshing and uplifting experience Senior Dinner was for me. It was a great night to be a Spartan. I went home and told Sarah Park what a great night it was and how proud I am of our school.

Click Here for the 50th Anniversary video.