Students Share Inspiration and Gratitude at
2022 Graduation Ceremonies
At this year's twelfth-, eighth-, and fifth-grade graduation ceremonies, student speakers shared reflective and inspiring stories about their experiences at Rowland Hall.
The group included senior speakers Samantha Lehman, student body president, and Charles Topoleski, Bishops' Award recipient; Senior Celebration speaker Ella Houden; Senior Chapel speakers Sophie Ayers-Harris, Daniel McNally, and Irenka Saffarian; eighth-grade graduation speakers Noa Fukushima and Leo Pickron; and several fifth-graders.
- Samantha Lehman, Student Body President
- Charles Topoleski, Bishops' Award Recipient
- Ella Houden, Senior Celebration Speaker
- Sophie Ayers-Harris, Senior Chapel Speaker
- Daniel McNally, Senior Chapel Speaker
- Irenka Saffarian, Senior Chapel Speaker
- Noa Fukushima, Eighth Grade
- Leo Pickron, Eighth Grade
- Fifth-Grade Speeches
Samantha Lehman, Student Body President
Hello, everyone. Now that high school is officially over, I’m finally going to shred some things from high school that I’m ready to let go of.
The first thing to go is this proof that the volume of a sphere is indeed 4/3 pi r^3. I remember when Dr. E taught this to my class in ninth-grade geometry. I was so confused that I went home and looked up the proof to see if there was another explanation of it online. The only results that showed up was a paper from the University of Utah, written by, you guessed it, Dr. E herself. She literally wrote the proof herself. Dr. E, while I loved your class, I will not miss this one part of it.
The second thing to go is a unit circle with all the trig ratios I made in algebra in 10th grade. I think I finally know basic trigonometry enough to get rid of this. Unit circle, I will never forget all the times I surruptiionalsy referred to you for help in class when I wasn’t supposed to. Mrs. Friendmen, Mr. Pinto, Mrs. Croft, I hope I’m making you proud.
Finally, here are some SAT practice test answer sheets and some brochures from colleges I didn’t get into, but who have already started sending mail to my brother trying to get him to apply. After a grueling college process, I’m so glad to finally get to let all this go and start looking forward to the next stage in my life.
So now that I’ve just shredded a bunch of stuff I wanted to let go of, what am I going to keep? Well, I’ll keep some academic-related things, like my knowledge about different theoretical lenses through which I can analyze a text, or the unit we did on electrochemistry in AP Chem, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I’ll also keep the memories and moments I’m grateful for, like:
- our 9th and 12th grade lip syncs, our wonderful music videos,
- singing "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys as a class,
- going grouse hunting with Mr. Wilson in snowy Bryce Canyon,
- hearing Mr. Hori talk about the time he accidentally dove down to 200 feet and had to complete his own decompression,
- the improvised drum solos from Mr. Long during morning meeting,
- KP asking us to “let me just say one more thing,”
- hearing all my talented friends perform in Canapalooza,
- the time we had to evacuate Camp Rogers because of the fire,
- late nights at debate tournaments, and
- long car rides with music blasting.
Going back further, I will keep my memories of the time we hiked to Timpanogos Cave, visited the Tetons, or went to space camp; the days Mrs. P let us watch Jeff Corbin in class, and the time our fifth-grade teachers gave us pie with no sugar (that was totally disgusting).
Most importantly, however, I’ll keep all the most important life lessons I’ve learned throughout high school.
- We don’t have to be perfect at everything we do—it’s OK to fail, it’s OK to miss an assignment here or there, and it’s OK to ask for help—so when I leave this school, I’m going to work to be the best I can be, but not be too hard on myself if it takes me a little while to get there.
- Prioritizing relationships and community is the key to success. So many times, I said no to hanging out with my friends and family for school and debate work, but, as I look out at all of you and see my mom sitting next to her friend Kim, whom she met in second grade, who came all the way from Chicago to see me graduate, I am reminded how grateful I am for all of you and the community that we’ve build these past four years. In the future, I will work to make time for the people in my life that mean the most and preserve the connections I’ve made here, and I encourage you all to do the same.
- I should have bought a subscription to chegg.com when I was a ninth grader, so I will be doing so the day I get to Boston.
Finally, to my fellow seniors: the best part about graduating is that now we get to take everything we’ve learned about ourselves over the past four years and expand on it. We get to let go of and shred— metaphorically speaking—the things we didn’t like about high school and keep the things we did.
We have been gifted a choice, the choice to choose the paths that lead our souls to be fulfilled, or, as Diane would put it, lead to “self-actualization.” We get to select the bits and pieces of our time here—whether that be lessons or moments from in or out of the classroom—and use them as a foundation on which to grow and pursue happiness.
It was S.A. Chakraborty that wrote, “Greatness takes time … often the mightiest things have the humblest beginnings.” We may not have enjoyed every minute of our high school experience— made worse by the earthquakes, politics, car-crushing wind storms, and freshmen—but we can now use the humble shreds of a culmination of experiences to build a path to work towards greatness, whether that greatness be in relationships, academics, career, service, physical and mental health, anything else, or all of the above.
At the beginning of the year, I told you to be the superheros of your own lives. Now, I ask you to continue honing your superpowers and finding what sparks your interests.
In the same way that I used the shreds of some memories of high school to create this class memento, I look forward to seeing how you use your humble beginnings at Rowland Hall to pursue your own greatness.
We have the shreds, we have the knowledge, we have the courage to do so. Congratulations, class of 2022.
Charles Topoleski, Bishops' Award Recipient
Hello, everyone. Congratulations to the class of ’22. We finally did it!
Given that this is Rowland Hall, it is unsurprising that we would have so many talented and driven students (not an actual POV statement, but this is the format that Dan Jones taught us in AP Euro). From Mary, who’s on the US Ski team; Daniel, a phenomenal pianist; Jaden, a pro Fortnite player who won tens of thousands of dollars; George, our favorite Greek historian who doesn’t actually study Greek history, but happens to be Greek; Samantha, our student body president and a fantastic debater; Danny, a great ceramist; and the list goes on. Every single one of us is already making huge accomplishments, so it would be pointless to say the generic send-off message that we need to go into the world and do great things. However, I will say that, at the end of the day, the true fulfillment of our lives will come from our relationships.
The theme for this year at Rowland Hall is that relationships matter. Everyone here that knows about Rowland Hall knows the strength of this community and how we all support each other. While we do have some academic competition, we really have a collaborative culture in which students will always help each other learn. Whether it was a difficult Wiley problem, or an English essay that needed peer reviewing, or a stoichiometry problem in chemistry, we could always turn to the person next to us and ask for help.
The other day, Mr. Innis asked us to reflect on this aspect of Rowland Hall, and he asked us to think about specific times when others supported us. Mr. Hori couldn’t make it here today, but I still have to recognize him for this. Just one time in class, I expressed that I was feeling a little overwhelmed with homework and college essays and everything going on, and later, Mr. Hori personally stopped me in the hallway to check in and make sure I was alright. He didn’t let me walk away until I had agreed to see the social-emotional counselor at Rowland Hall. To put it in Fortnite terms, we were in tilted towers, and he wasn’t sure if I got knocked down, so came over and dropped me a chug jug anyway, so I want to thank him for the chug jug.
Just like Mr. Hori, every teacher at Rowland Hall consistently gave their best efforts to not just cultivate our young minds but also care for us. They all overcame the challenges of distance learning and continued to provide the great and memorable education that Rowland Hall is known for.
I will never forget Dan Jones’ lecture about the caveman gluk that created capitalism, or how we learned to do Euler's method and “chi square” tests from Croft (she loves when you mispronounce them that way).
Dr. E taught me that math could, in fact, be social and fun, and she inspired me to continue pursuing math as I move on with my education. Dr. Kuntz, who is one of the nicest people I have ever met, didn’t just make chemistry fun but she maximized the efficiency of learning it. She didn’t waste any time with busy work, and she gave engaging and inclusive presentations that got right to the point of everything from the ideal gas law to oxidation and reduction reactions. KP and Dr. Kogan, two people who taught me the most in all of my years of school, guided us through the ad project, the biggest project we had in high school. To all of these teachers, and the others that I don’t have time to name, thank you. And to Mr. Smith, who taught me from freshman year up until the end of senior year, thank you for everything, especially the book you gave me. I genuinely don’t think you could have selected a better book for me.
So right now, in these last few months before we move on to college or other things, we should shore up our relationships with everyone that helped us get to this point. We should talk to our teachers, our families, and our friends and thank them for their support. And, most importantly, we are finally free, so let’s enjoy the present and keep doing what we did at Rowland Hall.
Most of you know that my favorite rapper is NLE Choppa, so it wouldn’t be right to end this without a quote from him: “Don’t think too much about the past, that leads to depression. Don’t think too much about the future that causes anxiety. Live in the present moment ’cause you never value it ’til it’s a memory. Positive vibes I’m sending out to everyone, love y’all.”
Ella Houden, Senior Celebration Speaker
My dad told me before I got up here today, “Ella, a speech has a beginning, a middle, and an end.” And I said, “No dad, that’s high school.” I have given two graduation speeches in my nine years at Rowland Hall. No, I am not repeating senior year a third time; those speeches were at fifth-grade and eighth-grade graduation. And I’m going to let you all in on a secret: each time I gave those speeches, I was terrified. Absolutely mortified that I would embarrass myself and never live it down. For my fellow psych classmates, I feared making a Freudian slip, tripping on my way up the stage, or turning some shade of red that made all the doctor parents in the room reach for their emergency EpiPens.
This time, I’m terrified for a different reason. I mean, I could totally ruin this speech, snag my diploma tomorrow, race home, pack a suitcase, and move to the Bahamas. I would work in a little surf shop and if I ever ran into one of you again, you’d be too busy wondering how I was still so pale, after 20 years in the sun, to even remember this speech. No, I’m not terrified of this speech because I might mess it up. I’m scared for the same reasons we are all scared, and excited. Because it’s one of the last times I know I will be on this campus with all of these people, or even in the same room. I am scared because I am uncertain, having lived in this little bubble for so long, knowing every face that passed in the hallway, knowing the name of every person in my grade and actually having some relationship with each and every one of you. I doubt any of us will share that closeness at our colleges, simply because of the change in size and community. Rowland Hall has given us a strangely tight-knit class of people we don’t know everything about, but have known for a long time. Especially in the past few months, as we felt the end nearing, and we all started to reach out to our fellow seniors, not just our set groups of friends.
Graduation was like the tornado paradox: if a tornado is coming towards you, it looks like it isn’t moving at all. So, graduation felt like it was stagnant, unmoving, or far off until suddenly we were all being swept up next to Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West. I think that’s another aspect of our fears: we have been waiting for this moment for so long. It all seemed distant and separate from any date on the calendar. When I was in middle school, 2022 didn’t seem like it would ever materialize; it was foreign and unknown. There was no way that was an actual year. In the past few years, with COVID and lockdowns, time warped even more. Our president Samantha Lehman put it beautifully: “Every day feels like an eternity, but the weeks fly by.”
Our generation has been brought up with a newfound emphasis on mental health. We attribute greater significance to our emotional stability, mindset, and mental state than any generation before us, which has allowed us to cultivate strong feelings of self-compassion and given us better methods to reach out for help. It has also destigmatized the need to reach out for help, to explain that we need a break, even if it means taking a few days or weeks away from school to ensure we are mentally and physically healthy. It created a culture within our generation to express complex emotions, giving us ample opportunity to become aware of the mental difficulties faced by both ourselves and others. With COVID, this knowledge proved how important it truly was as each of us had to overcome overwhelming circumstances. The world was turned upside down, and this was the moment some of our teachers and administrators stepped up and brought with them immense comfort and warmth. And I think it is from these specific faculty members, most notably for me K.P. and Joel Long, that I learned the most valuable lesson I ever learned at Rowland Hall: To treat people with love in the face of suffering and upheaval.
We have done all we can these past four years to work for goals in classrooms, on courts and fields, and the goals have been tangible in the form of letter grades and scoreboards. But I ask that, going forward, we find goals that are rewarded in intangible ways. I ask all of you to do better, be as kind as you can and find the best version of yourself, especially when you feel let down. As institutions, communities, and individuals, the most and least you can do in life is be good to others. I implore each of you, as you strive for success in your education and careers, to remember that no matter how important your goals seem in the moment, nothing can replace those we love in our lives. This doesn’t mean we have any power over the lives or actions of others. But sometimes you inadvertently make someone’s day by complimenting them, noticing them, listening to them, or just being near them. And you will never know how much more time or energy that gives to those people.
I can’t pretend I know anything more than the rest of you. I’m not yet gray-haired enough to be wise or preteen enough to feel that everything I say is golden. With all we have overcome, looking forward to our futures becomes an even greater gift. Because the last few years were unbelievably tiresome, daunting, and grueling. But, all of us here today persevered and made it through, carrying with us those that didn’t, those we loved and lost along the way. It has truly been a privilege to know each member of the class of 2022.
Sophie Ayers-Harris, Senior Chapel Speaker
I’m what the community here at Rowland Hall calls a Lifer. I’ve been here since kindergarten, which is about 12 to 13 years. During that time, I have become the person I am now and learned the things I have learned. The majority of core memories center around this school or have happened during my time here and the community Rowland Hall has cultivated.
In my first decade or so here at Rowland Hall, I have to admit that I took a lot for granted: the quality of my education, the relationships I had formed over the years, my teachers, the strength of my community. Then, all the sudden, it was March 13, 2020. As I'm sure you can all relate, everything past that point has never been quite the same.
Rowland Hall handled the pandemic better than our previous administration.
During the fall of 2020, I was hit with a lot of life challenges, such as the loss of family members and a medical emergency. Despite the fact that I was not doing in-person school at the time, my teachers, like KP, Dr. Kogan and Mr. Hori, were right there to support me and help me transition back into school after missing it for two weeks. When I came back from being online from March 2020 to March 2021, I was welcomed with open arms. While the transition was pretty difficult, from being at home every day to interacting with the student body in person, it could not have been as smooth as it was had I not had this wonderful community. Something I never realized before the pandemic is how supportive our community is, whether that be the students, teachers, administrators, or staff. Despite being here for 10 years, I never felt the sense of community as much as I have over the past two years, which honestly is a bit ironic. When I came back, my friends and the same teachers who helped me that fall rallied behind me and made me feel like I never left in the first place.
When I think of my community, I am reminded of an assignment we did in AP Lit, when we recalled and wrote down little kindnesses we witnessed or experienced at our time here at Rowland Hall in and outside of the confines of the buildings itself. Here’s an excerpt from it: “When someone sends us a song that reminds them of us, we know we are on their mind.”
“When a friend asks, ‘What were you saying?’ as your voice is drowned out by impatient others, you know someone is listening.” “Only a few days ago, when you remembered my sixth-grade bucket list, I knew I’d been heard.” “How Stan helps you turn off of Lincoln Street and onto 800 South when it’s busy.” And “how friends say, ‘Drive safe, when you leave their house and tell you to text them when you get home. And, sometimes, the driver slams on their brakes and reaches their arm across your chest in the passenger seat: an anatomical seatbelt.”
Nearly every day, I see the evidence of the strength of our community. I see the little things, like kids holding the doors open for each other when they have fobs, and the bigger things, like friends crying into each other’s shoulders and skipping class to make sure they’re okay. When I think of this Rowland Hall, I think of all these little kindnesses that define us as a community.
Over these past few years, I've learned that hard times either have the power to tear people apart or bring them closer together, and, fortunately, Rowland Hall has been the latter. Now more than ever, in these unprecedented times, in the wake of political turmoil and a pandemic, we need to come together and support each other the way we support each other here at Rowland Hall, whether it be our neighbors, our community, or finding ways to support each other in the world at large.
Tell more stories and talk about little kindnesses.
One more story could act as transition.
Daniel McNally, Senior Chapel Speaker
Five Reasons Why You Should Go to Band Concerts in the Future
In complete honesty, I’ve never really written a speech before. I guess the closest I’ve ever gotten is doing presentations in English or history in eighth grade, but other than that—and even that is a stretch—I can’t recall any moment in time I have had the responsibility of standing in front of people and trying to tell them something important. And while there is plenty of merit in enlightening you to some great epiphany I have had recently, I figured I would stick to what I know, and give you all five reasons why you should go to band concerts in the future.
Before I start with reason number one, I want to clarify that by band concerts, I mean all concerts: orchestra, dance, theater, etc. But I know you have seen me once or twice pleading to you on stage, to little avail, to come to our band concerts, so I thought that would be a nice place to start. And this is not me disregarding those of you who have attended these concerts in the past; rather, I hope this speech is a celebration of your faithful diligence in juxtaposition with a condemnation of those who fail to see the sophisticated and captivating nature of said concerts. So, to begin.
Reason number one: concerts are cool and fun. Imagine this: you are sitting in the front row (or, like, three rows back from the front row since those front seats suck) and you are witnessing Colin Chaundramouli metaphysically light his guitar on fire with his speed and precision on the pentatonic scale. Psychologically, you are feeling many emotions: astonishment, wonder, a rush of serotonin to the brain, possibly even some deep, insatiable urge to tap your foot. All is well. You are happy. Life is good. Suddenly you realize that maybe you shouldn’t have stopped playing the piano in the fourth grade, and now you are angry. Dissatisfied. Possibly even sad. But even so, all is well, because you are able to cheer on your friend Colin, just as he did when he attended your soccer game last week to celebrate your win.
This brings me to reason number two: celebrating your friends. I know it sounds kinda corny, but people really do appreciate when you watch them perform. Whether it is athletics, arts, or really anything, most of the time it’s nice when someone gives you at least a portion or their partially divided attention, especially when you’re doing something awesome. That way they just might catch you doing that massive spike in volleyball or that technical move in dance, both of which you have been working on for years to perfect. And even if they miss it, they can judge by the audience’s reaction that something cool happened and then lie to you later that they were impressed by whatever happened that they failed to witness.
Reason number three: don’t lie and say you don’t have time. Unless you are physically unable to attend the concert (for example, being deathly ill or not being in the state of Utah), there is no argument for not having time. You simply must make the time. Yes, you may have to sacrifice a few hours of sleep, a few hours without food, or a few hours away from your friends, but naturally there is an immeasurable storage of value in the unknown. Certainly, the new experience could be not all that valuable, but it is always worth a try. Trust me, I am speaking from experience, as there have been plenty of nights where I chose Fortnite over a social gathering such as a concert, but I am here to tell you that I regret that decision. While Fortnite is great in its own right, you must remember that Fortnite is forever, but concerts only happen once.
Reason number four: you can’t hate something you haven't tried. Before you simply trust me that I am correct about the marvelous experience of attending a band concert (and I am correct), decide for yourself. Just go to at least one. This also applies outside of band concerts as well. There are few things in this world that you can have an opinion on before trying them. Outside of those few exceptions, just try it (as long as it is safe and won’t get you in trouble, of course).
Reason number five: building up your community. Again this may seem like another corny reason, but if there is one thing Rowland Hall has taught me, it is that your relationships with your teachers and friends are a lot more important than you might think. To be in a community surrounded by professionals that you can consult for help, both scholastically and emotionally, you are in possession of boundless opportunity. If I’m curious about something in biology, all I have to do is ask Dr. Rida. If I want to write a more sophisticated college essay, I simply have to ask Dr. Hickman. If I want to ski better, I’ll ask Mary. If I want to get better at Fortnite, I’ll ask Jaden. At Rowland Hall, we like to help each other. We like to teach. We like to share. So when I ask you to come to a band concert, I’m not asking just so you can watch me play a song or two; I’m asking you to support your community, because I know that’s what we can do at Rowland Hall. Thank you.
Irenka Saffarian, Senior Chapel Speaker
Where do trees come from? We all know that trees absorb water, nitrogen, and minerals from their roots, and convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into fuel using photosynthesis. But a tree is roughly 50 percent carbon by dry weight. So where does that come from? The answer is kind of astonishing to think about: it comes from the air. From gaseous CO2, which makes up only 0.04 percent of our atmosphere. And at room temperature, 5,000 liters of air contain one gram of carbon. So trees grow slowly because they come from thin air.
I wanted to open like this because, as I reflected on my experience at Rowland Hall in the past four years, I’ve realized that people grow like trees. Our brains are alive, and growing, and branching out consistently—and just like with trees, the way our minds grow is astonishing. And slow. It takes time. I think that most students, myself included, often don't appreciate how incredible that process of learning is because we don't really do the work. As students, we don't do photosynthesis, we just metabolize the sugars—we reap the benefits of what we are taught. And don't get me wrong, as students, the work we do is still work—it's just that it isn't the same magic that can materialize matter from air. Teachers do that work. They assemble the knowledge and provide the infrastructure for hundreds of kids, year after year, to build substantial, real brains out of nothing.
So, with that thesis in mind, I’d like to revisit some of what Rowland Hall has given me over the past four years.
Rowland Hall students learn to write poetry, and to read it—to dig through layers of meaning in a single line, a single phrase. To appreciate myth and metaphor.
They learn to read and empathize with stories that are about people different from themselves.
They learn to watch movies and interpret advertisements with a critical eye for agenda.
They learn to see history as a dynamic, living record which reflects its time.
They learn to speak to others. To be considerate, tactful, and intelligent in conversation. And to show respect for other people by learning the languages they speak, and using them.
They learn to listen for bird calls and pay attention to trees, to look and to see and to understand the mountains they walk and the water they drink.
They learn to have an awareness of the internet, its algorithms, and the way that technology influences their lives.
They learn about the chemistry of what they eat, drink, see, and touch. They learn to appreciate that everything we do is powered by attractions between particles we can't even see, and barely know how to visualize.
They learn to predict the movement of electrons, passing through circuits they build with their own hands.
They learn to write and draw math—to embrace the reality of numbers and what they really mean. To visualize the rate at which their coffee cools each morning.
Rowland Hall students learn all of these things, and ultimately they learn to be more than just consumers in a sea of product and media. And it's not easy to educate people like that—as I think any Rowland Hall teacher can attest. High school students grow like trees. So slowly that even we don't see it. So slowly that even educators, at times, may not. But we grow. And when we leave, I think that Rowland Hall students have strong and healthy minds—minds with many branches, with soft, sweet, sensitive cores, but also the toughness to withstand difficulty. Minds that can bear fruit and contribute to the world.
I think what I love most about Rowland Hall is that it excels at what is important: teaching kids. Because teaching is to society what photosynthesis is to life on earth. It powers everything—the engineers, the writers, the chemists and chefs and naturalists, the linguists and the artists and the businessmen and the mathematicians. All of the brains that turn the wheels of production. And in the special cases, when teaching is really good—like it is here—it also powers the brains that regulate consumption. Good teachers nurture minds which can think critically, discern the irresponsible from the balanced, make connections and informed decisions and friendships between different people.
So thank you. For everything. Because what happens here every day is a quiet magic which can change the world.
Noa Fukushima, Eighth Grade
Don’t Aim to Fail, but Don’t Fail to Aim
Failing—is bad. I mean, that’s what we’ve been told since we could walk—don’t fail. But no, that can’t be right. Every notable historical figure has failed in some way—Franklin Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Tom Cruise—yet we still look up to and praise these people with love in our eyes. So that’s why I’ve come to the conclusion that not only is failure not bad, it is needed.
Yes, you heard me, Dad—failure is needed. And I’m positive many of my Middle School peers agree with me. At some point in our time at middle school, we’ve all failed in some way. Whether that be failing to submit an assignment on time or losing to Mr. Duffy in an arm wrestle, it’s happened to all of us. And every single failure has made us a better version of ourselves. In my first year at middle school, I skipped out of the spelling bee—even though my dad had me practice every day and night. I was scared of failing and scared of losing. But that moment taught me to not have as high expectations of myself, because sometimes I can’t do everything—yet. When I made the move from fifth grade to sixth, I wanted to be in compacted math. Math was my strongest class in Lower School, and I wanted to capitalize on it. But I wasn’t allowed to enter because I failed the test. That taught me to keep pushing—and even if you don’t get what you want, you can always find a way to succeed. I discovered that I was fine in my own math level, and I still learned a lot.
And last but not least, this class’s time in middle school was in some ways a failure. We had expectations that were let down. We lost so many meaningful moments and missed out on traditions—Tetons, Camp W, DC. Yet we are still a community—and a strong one at that—even though we wore masks for years. Being a community doesn’t rely on seeing the bottom half of your face. We learned to live with the fact that we lost many meaningful trips that we saw our siblings go through—and we dealt with it. Together, we learned to build grit. We replaced old traditions with new ones like spending time on the Colorado River and learning to set up a tent in crazy winds. We laughed as we screamed down the coasters at Lagoon. And who could forget the trip to IKEA—getting lost in the hallway by the deceiving exit signs, or getting stuck in a closet playing hide and seek.
Even movies are aware of this. In the blockbuster Top Gun, Maverick’s RIO dies a preventable death. And instead of holding onto this failure, Maverick moves on and learns to be a better aviator, truly “feeling the need for speed.” Every movie you can think of has a failure near the end of the film that sets the protagonist back—until they learn to overcome it. And overcoming failure is part of understanding it. Moving into high school, be like Maverick, and don't let the fear of failing keep you from taking a risk.
In conclusion, making mistakes is good. It gives us the opportunity to improve and learn from ourselves. Don’t fail to aim, but more importantly, don’t aim to fail. Don’t let failure get in the way of your ambition. The us two years ago and the us now are two completely different people. The us now have social awareness, the us now have developed compassion. And to that, I’d like to thank all those who have helped us through our middle school years—Mr. Stern, Ms. Vasquez, Ms. Marker, and Ms. Donnelly—thank you. To the friends who have helped us and given us laughs—thank you. And to all of us, who officially made it through middle school—we did it!
Leo Pickron, Eighth Grade
As I stand up here today, I’m terrified. But yet, I’m still right here looking out upon my teachers, mentors, family, and, most importantly, my peers. Despite my fear, I’m being brave. The concept of bravery is not the absence of fear; in fact, it’s being afraid but doing it anyway. The bravest people are those who show their vulnerability time and time again. Whether that’s advocating for yourself, speaking your truth, or taking responsibility for your actions.
Upon my reflection regarding bravery, I had a realization. When thinking about moments that I moved forward regardless of my fear, I wanted to keep these accomplishments to myself. Yet, why do we do this? Why do we hold back in sharing these moments of bravery with those around us?
Over the past three years, my class has worked together to be brave. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we had to shift our trajectory completely as we logged into Zoom meetings for the first time. We quickly adapted as our reflections stared blankly back at us from the screen. That year, life gave us much to fear—even the adults around us were experiencing the unknown. However, it gave us all an opportunity to be brave. Going to school for the first day, trying a new food, and going on a rollercoaster are small acts of bravery that we all do. As a musician, I have to practice courage when performing with the orchestra. During our middle school years, we adapted to these changes together and pushed through our fears, despite being afraid.
Four years ago, I started to lose my hearing, and tomorrow I go in for cochlear implant surgery. As I step into the unknown, I feel both fear and excitement. However, it’s my choice on how I react to these emotions. I could let this fear hold me back, or I could choose to be brave. While I acknowledge both of these feelings within me, I understand how going forward with this operation will positively impact my future.
Our community at Rowland Hall is strong, and this connection helps bolster our experiences with bravery. Together, we share our fears and how we choose to approach them. As we embark on this new chapter in our lives, we must continue this ongoing support of one another, and then take it with us out into the world.
The next time a situation arises that scares you, choose to do it. Wear that nail polish to school, speak up for yourself, say hello to the person next to you. Bravery is the foundation of change, and you never know what can come from being yourself. I leave you with this: we’re all scared of what the future may bring, and that’s okay. As we move ahead, be afraid, as then you also can be brave.
Fifth-Grade Speeches
Inspiration, by Eli S.
Hello, I’m Eli. At Rowland Hall, everyone inspired me to reach for the stars, such as my teachers, specialty teachers, and peers. In first grade, Alex inspired me to learn to read. In second grade, Carly and Dave led me through how to dissect a chicken, massively improving my love for medicine. I can still remember slicing through the muscle, looking for ligaments, touching tendons, and crunching cartilage. During third grade, Jazmin gave us a project in which we wrote a biography and made a speech that started my affinity for public speaking. My passion for public speaking grew when Ms. Pectol and Erika hosted my first debate on what is better, cats or dogs? I defended cats, and while my arguments weren’t purr-fect, I had a blast. In fifth grade with Dr. Torry, we learned a lot about the founding of America. In addition, we participated in a fantastic science share.
For the science share I did my project about what happens when a solid base of limestone meets a liquid acid. Spoiler alert: it makes acidic bubbles. Just like the limestone experiment, Rowland Hall is my solid base, peers are my assets, and I am bubbling with inspiration. Thank you.
Aria’s Thank You to the Lower School, by Aria A.
My name is Aria. Let me just say that my time here has been amazing and I am so sad to leave. First of all, I want to say that everyone has made my experience here the best it could be. MY TEACHERS HAVE BEEN SO SUPER NICE TO ME! Well, let me start from the beginning. When I first moved here almost five years ago, I felt out of place. I had just moved to Utah from LA and I just made a new friend here, in Rowland Hall. He is now my BFF.
The faculty made me feel like I was home. I came here in second grade and my first teacher, Dave Sidlow, was so funny and good at problem solving. Without him I wouldn’t be good at trying to be nice to everyone. He has totally inspired me along the way.
My next teacher was Sara Dacklin. She gave me the BEST math class ever. Her son came into her class and since he was a dancer, he taught us new moves like the wave. She taught me new strategies for math that helped me over the years.
My next teacher was Tyler Stack. He has taught me to be honest and kind. When I came into his class for the first time, I was scared because none of my friends were in my class and we had zones in the recess areas. But he helped me make new friends and I wasn’t scared anymore. He was really funny and really relaxed, and he helped me stay calm.
Finally, this year’s teacher, Dr. Torry. She has taught me to be firm and strong when I am talking. She has made me ready for my next step into middle school. She made me notice all the little things in life.
Nancy Janes, my math tutor, has made me as awesome at math as she is. And I would’ve gone hungry if not for the lunch staff. So, thank you. I love you all.
The Values We’ve Learned, by Mei Mei M.
Hello I’m Mei Mei. I started at this school last year in fourth grade. On my first day I was very nervous. I wasn’t sure at all what it would be like. When I got to my classroom I saw a lot of kids who were talking and who all already knew each other. On my desk I saw a card that said “Welcome to Eric’s fourth-grade class.” Even just that was a huge help for my nerves. When I saw that card I realized this is a school that welcomes everyone. My time at Rowland Hall was also a large part of my time during COVID-19. During COVID was when you could really see what relationships are strong enough to make it through isolation and long distance, so my time at Rowland Hall has definitely taught me that relationships truly matter. Throughout fifth grade, I’ve learned a lot of important skills as well as different subjects. I feel very lucky to have my fifth-grade teacher, Mr. McCandless, because he understands morals and life lessons can be more important than the lesson he was going to teach. For the past months he has always been talking about things that will affect our future and reminding us that everything we do we have to think deeply. My teacher has also had many former students that he has told us about that have been successful, and through their lives they have always learned to live with purpose to get where they want to be. Throughout the 10 years of my life, I have been learning how to turn in assignments on time and study my math topics. I know that all these things are for my future, for college and for life, but sometimes you can get caught up in assignments and forget that they are not just for school but we are learning for our lives. Thanks to all of the teachers and staff members that have helped us through the Lower School. Congratulations to the new middle schoolers, the class of 2029!
Rowland Hall’s Legacy on the Environment, by Alexander P.
Good morning, Lower School community. I am Alexander. I will be talking about Rowland Hall’s legacy on the environment.
As I prepare to go to middle school, I think about the positive impact Rowland Hall has had on the environment—in small and big ways. One act was particularly helpful to the environment. This year the third graders changed Rowland Hall’s utensils from plastic to metal. This was a positive change for the environment for several reasons. To begin with, 30,000 pounds of plastic waste are thrown away by schools nationwide every year. One school switching to reusable metal utensils might not seem like a big difference, but it may inspire other schools to change their practices.
Next, one million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic. That means 3 percent of marine deaths may be related to plastic use by schools.
Lastly, the third graders’ commitment demonstrated what is special about Rowland Hall. Our school is becoming even more environmentally conscious and we can influence others. Our students bring water bottles but we also provide recyclable cups in case you forget. But do not use too man—too much of a good thing is a bad thing.
Here we face a question, can we do more to help the environment? Of course! The next step we can take is to limit the amount of plastic used overall at school; for instance, don’t bring your snack in a plastic Ziploc bag. Don’t leave it lying around on the field or playground, that’s just careless and irresponsible. Also above all, please don’t litter. Littering shows you don’t care about Earth, but you should because it provides the necessities that we need to live. We all have seen plastic wrappers including fruit leather wrappers, Goldfish, Cheez-it bags, and various other plastics all over the field and playground. We should all pitch in—put it in the trash.
Back to my point: one million marine creatures are killed each year due to plastic. How much of that plastic do you think gets carried into the sea by the wind just because you couldn’t throw it away or keep it in your pocket until the nearest trash can? Or never gets picked up and then an animal eats it and dies.
To sum it up, Rowland Hall has made a wonderful positive impact on the environment, besides these issues I have just told you about. If we address these issues, I believe Rowland Hall can become a leading environmentally friendly school. Thank you for your time and attention.
Thank You to the Rowland Hall Community, by Zoie S.
Hello. My name is Zoie. When I started at Rowland Hall in first grade I really needed a lot of support. I have dyslexia, which makes learning to read very difficult. Even though I was not diagnosed with dyslexia yet, Galen still supported me all through first grade. Also, it was my first time skiing for Winter Sports. It inspired me and made my first Winter Sports so memorable.
My second teacher, Katie, helped me learn about the human body and do research. Katie was a colorful person in my life. She made learning so much fun. My tutor, Marianne, helped me learn all the complicated pieces of the English language. My dyslexia was easier to manage with my tutor.
My teacher in third grade was Sara Dacklin. As you know, COVID hit during that time and it was a very difficult time for my dyslexia. Online learning is very stressful for people with dyslexia because you don’t have any teachers to help you in person. Sara was a very nice teacher and helped me through online learning.
My fourth-grade teacher was Eric Schmitz. Eric is a very amazing teacher and really helped me to be the best person I could be. The field trips and Utah projects were so much fun with Eric. I am really thankful Eric was my teacher, but also I am thankful for my other tutor, Sarah. She is quite a gem of a person. She always put a smile on my face like Eric did.
My last teacher was Jen Bourque. Honestly, Jen is spunky and the most optimistic teacher I have ever had. She really knows how to make people laugh. My class this year was challenging, but not stressful. Jen always made me feel capable of anything, even with my dyslexia.
Thank you to all my teachers and my tutors and the Rowland Hall community for helping me through Lower School. I am going to really miss you when I go to middle school, but you will always have a place in my heart.
My Years in the Lower School, by Alex L.
Hello, my name is Alex. I came to Rowland Hall in kindergarten, when my family and I had just moved from New York. I didn’t know anyone, and the only friends I had were the ones that were 2,000 miles away. But Rowland Hall is a really welcoming school, and all the kids are really nice. So I made friends and I had a good year. And the best part was my teachers, Margaret and Bethany. They were so nice and would always have something fun planned. In first grade I had Susanna. She made that year so fun, and being in the Lower School was super cool for a first grader. Second grade was also a good year. I had Beverly, and even though she might have been a little stricter than some teachers, she was still so nice and fun to be with. Third grade was when I started making real friends, which isn’t me saying that the friends you have in first and second grade aren’t good friends, just that sometimes they don’t really stick. I had Sara, and she was a great teacher to be with for the start of COVID. Fourth grade was a hard year, and we missed out on stuff like field trips, but I had Ms. Love. There are no words to describe her. She is so loving, smart, and caring, and I don’t have any clue how I would have gotten through that year without her. Fifth grade was a different thing, with Mr. McCandless as my teacher, not wearing masks anymore, and making new friends. It was a different year, but it was also a good year. COVID has been hard on all of us for one reason or another, whether it’s the masks, the social distancing, or just not being the same as it was, and I couldn’t have gotten through it without my friends, my teachers, and, most of all, my dad and my mom.
Pushing the Limits, by Logan K.
Standing here in front of you all today reminds me of my first day of fifth grade. I remember how nervous yet excited I felt for the future, and I bet a lot of the fifth grade is feeling the same thing right now. My name is Logan and I joined Rowland Hall and the Rowmark Ski Team just last fall. Looking back at the past year—wow, what a year it’s been. When I walked into school on the first day, all masked up and knowing no one, I have to admit I was a little bit nervous (and kind of shocked we got homework on the first day, to be honest!).
At Rowland Hall we learned not just to survive, but thrive during the pandemic. My teacher, Dr. Torry, sure kept things interesting. One day, my previously kind and empathetic teacher suddenly took a turn to what appeared to be the Dark Side … she randomly started punishing us with arbitrary rules that she called the stamp act. She made us pay stamps to sharpen our pencils, use our pencils, use our chairs, and said that soon we would have to pay stamps just to breathe air. I took it upon myself to begin a complaint campaign to stop this grossly unfair punitive situation. As we all now know, it was Rowland Hall’s way of teaching the fifth grade how the colonists were unfairly taxed by Britain. And, lucky us, we got to experience it firsthand. As if one Revolutionary War wasn’t enough. All kidding aside, it is a lesson I will always remember! Dr. Torry pushed me, and I am stronger because of it. Thank you, Dr. Torry, for being the best teacher I’ve ever had.
My incredible ski coach, Penny, pushed me as well … but that was down an icy ski chute and a racing course. I owe her; I am better and stronger because of how she taught me. Thank you, Penny, for being the best ski racing coach I’ve ever had … actually, you’re the only ski racing coach I have ever had … but you really are great.
Throughout the year, little by little, our class got to know each other and I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. And in the background, I really appreciated the stability and thoughtfulness of our Rowland Hall community. At Rowland Hall, I felt safe from COVID (in fact, I didn’t end up catching COVID until I was off in Mexico for winter break!).
One thing that has really stood out for me this past year is Rowland Hall’s emphasis on perseverance and respect. Rowland Hall had to persevere for all these months, all these changing rules, and all sorts of differing opinions on how to keep us kids (and our families) safe while giving us a great education. And on the topic of respect, even when Rowland Hall stopped requiring masks, they still kept it an option for people that weren’t sure if they were ready to take their masks off. One thing that speaks to the culture of Rowland Hall is that we did a great job not judging people for their families’ choices on masks. We as a community value everyone and their views—there is a “big tent” at Rowland Hall and we all feel like we belong. This place is special.
As we move to middle school and we don’t see this campus every day, let’s all keep it in our hearts. It is a part of us; we are a part of it. Thank you.
Several fifth grade students prepared speeches to be delivered at the final chapel. Below are the transcripts of those speeches.
My Time at the Lower School, by Shea G.
Hello, my name is Shea and I’ve been at Rowland Hall since 3PreK. I have had some amazing experiences at the school. Like how one time I had to stay home because of a cold and my class made a video that said that they missed me and that they hope I feel better soon. It made my week and when I came back; everyone got so excited to see me. I love the school and I am very glad that my moms chose Rowland Hall. My time at the Lower School has been amazing and I have changed so much over the years. Everyone remembers online learning and how it changed the way everything works. I remember the first time we heard about COVID, everyone was not too worried because it had not made it to America. When we heard about online learning, everyone went crazy! It was chaos and for the next two weeks we had to learn about how distance learning was going to work. When the online learning started I remember my mom was worried about what to do. But she was very impressed when she saw how well the school handled it. Distance learning was challenging for everyone and when it was over I was relieved! I missed all of my friends and I had not seen some of them in over six months. I have also had some amazing teachers. I would not be the person I am today without them. One of my teachers is Dave Sidlow. He is always so funny and his jokes have always made me laugh. I definitely would not be the funny person I am without his jokes. I know I am almost done but I want to give a big thank you to everyone at the Lower School. Like my teachers, my friends, and everyone else. Thank you.
My Time at the Lower School, by Harper J.
Hello, my name is Harper and when I first started first grade here at Rowland Hall, I looked up at the fifth graders thinking, “Wow! I can't believe I am going to be one of them in five years.” First grade was time for learning to read and simple math. My teacher was Galen and I still remember sitting on the rug listening to books. Second grade was a different story. That year my teacher was Katie. That was the year that school pets were not allowed but for one week Katie brought her hamster and we got to play with it. Then came third grade; that was the year of the start of bigger math like multiplication and a bit of division. My teacher was Matthew and I remember on one of the first days he brought lemonade for us, but that was also the year COVID started and we had to do homeschooling. Fourth grade was a time for learning about Utah and the Native Americans. My teacher that year was Mr. Stack. He always helped me through hard math and science problems. Finally came fifth grade, the final grade of the Lower School, the only grade doing the science share, and we learned about the early time explorers and the Revolutionary War with Mr. McCandless. And now I look down at the first graders, knowing that I used to be one of them, looking up thinking, “Wow, I am going to be a fifth grader in five years.”
Change Can Sometimes Be Good, by Addison
Hello, my name is Addison. I have been a student here at Rowland Hall since second grade. I was so scared of moving to a new school. I didn’t realize how great this school was. Because I had just moved from LA to Salt Lake City, when I entered the building I had nobody. I am now leaving this building with many standing by my side. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t gone to Rowland Hall. The community is so amazing and beautiful, this place is so diverse, and these people are so awesome. This school is so determined to pass on the love of learning to all kids, and the staff work their hardest to make all feel welcome. When I moved from LA to here, the only school I had been in was a school with free dress, where you could roam around the campus, and nobody cared about the things you would do. Here you wear uniforms, you have rules on where to go, and the people actually care about your decisions. Rowland Hall does everything to make us learn from our mistakes. I have learned many valuable lessons here, such as when people hum in class it’s annoying, it's not a good idea to keep the classroom door open, and the power of Colleen’s sarcasm can knock people out of their seats, literally. It was great to be at this campus and I will miss all the staff. Moral of the story being: thank you, Rowland Hall.
Perseverance through Tough Times, by Sri K.
Hello. My name is Sri.
It was the first full day of my new school and I was doing distance learning. It was tough and I could not have the help of my friends. Fast forward to early March, when I started in-person learning. I was not used to the new things, such as desks six feet apart, recess zones, and, well, you get the point. I told myself, “You are smart enough, brave enough, and strong enough to persevere through the challenges life throws at you.” And with the help of my fourth-grade teachers, Mrs. Pectol and Erika, I felt like I belonged.
Fifth grade was different to say the least, a lot had changed since fourth grade. I found out about that and had to reshape my knowledge about the school, kind of like going to two different schools in two years. I had to learn about how the school worked, again. However, with the help of new friends and old, and my fifth-grade teacher, Dr. Torry, I reshaped my knowledge about school, which made it so much easier to persevere through the year. To end this speech, remember, if you have never been scared or nervous in your life, then you are not truly brave. If you have been scared, but looked that fear in the eye and said, “I may be scared but I won’t let that stop me,” then you are truly brave. I would like to give one final thanks to the Rowland Hall community for helping me have two wonderful school years and I will miss my Lower School community.
Change Can Sometimes Be Good, by Addison A.
Hello, my name is Addison. I have been a student here at Rowland Hall since second grade. I was so scared of moving to a new school. I didn’t realize how great this school was. Because I had just moved from LA to Salt Lake City, when I entered the building I had nobody. I am now leaving this building with many standing by my side. I can’t even imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t gone to Rowland Hall. The community is so amazing and beautiful, this place is so diverse, and these people are so awesome. This school is so determined to pass on the love of learning to all kids, and the staff work their hardest to make all feel welcome. When I moved from LA to here, the only school I had been in was a school with free dress, where you could roam around the campus, and nobody cared about the things you would do. Here you wear uniforms, you have rules on where to go, and the people actually care about your decisions. Rowland Hall does everything to make us learn from our mistakes. I have learned many valuable lessons here, such as when people hum in class it’s annoying, it's not a good idea to keep the classroom door open, and the power of Colleen’s sarcasm can knock people out of their seats, literally. It was great to be at this campus and I will miss all the staff. Moral of the story being: thank you, Rowland Hall.
A New Beginning, by Scarlett C. and Vivian L.
Hello, I’m Vivian, and I’m Scarlett, and we are students in Mr. McCandless’ fifth-grade class. In just a few days, we will be graduating fifth grade, so we want to share our experience at the Lower School. It was a big change going from kindergarten to first grade, but the wonderful staff at Rowland Hall helped us ease into the change. In first grade, I had Susanna, and I had Galen. Both teachers provided a safe and caring environment where you were free to be yourself. Second grade was a breeze with Dave and Beverly, who helped us improve in social and educational aspects of our lives and prepared us for third grade. We were super excited to enter third grade. We were finally upstairs—our dream since first grade. We soon figured out that it wasn’t as cool as it seemed, because in March, a global pandemic hit and school was forced to go online. But Matthew and Jazmin helped us continue learning in the hard times. Luckily, school was able to go back in person in fourth grade. Things were still not normal but better than online. New precautions came in to keep the community safe, including social distancing, wearing masks, and many other precautions. Luckily, we both had amazing teachers who made it feel like a normal year, and soon Ms. Love and Mr. Stack became like our parents, and classmates were like siblings. That’s how much time we spent with just our class. In fifth grade, things started to feel normal—some ups and downs, but we were feeling like it was a more normal year. Soon, we will end our time in the Lower School, which helped us learn the Golden Rule and to never give up. As we are beginning this new chapter in our life, we would like to thank all the staff at Rowland Hall for helping us be where we are today. We are very grateful. Thank you for listening and have a great day.