By Adam Rohdie
As we close out this unprecedented school year, many accolades have been given to the incredible work of the teachers and staff in getting us through the pandemic—deservedly so. I am humbled by the effort and care that adults in the school buildings across this town have shown. They did it not only in the time of COVID, but during a national movement for social justice, a polarizing presidential election, and an attack on our nation’s capital. All that time, teachers and school staff in Greenwich remained laser focused on providing an amazing learning experience for students. It cannot be said enough; this is no small feat and they deserve our deepest appreciation.
That sentiment acknowledged and as we celebrate moving up ceremonies and commencements, my attention turns to the students themselves and what they have endured. I cannot think of more difficult circumstances through which these young people have persisted—mask wearing, social distancing, contact tracing, sports with no games to play, musicals with no audiences, classes held outdoors in 30 mph winds—we could go on and on. I also cannot help but wonder what they will take away from the experience of this past year. As I shared in an earlier article, I fear we are going to see a significant increase in mental health issues rising from young people and we must be watchful for signs of distress and be ready to support them. I also believe these students will emerge from this time period stronger and more ready to lead in a very changed and ever-changing world.
Our students may have suffered challenges never before imagined, but much like being vaccinated against the coronavirus, our students have been inoculated in facing adversity. When the next series of traumatic events strikes at this generation of students, they will access their ‘immunity’ and will be more likely to persevere. Knowing they have overcome challenging circumstance before and using the strategies they have developed to push through this time, they will adapt; they will persist, and they will succeed. Their armor has thickened this year and it will serve to protect them in the future.
This protection will be immensely valuable for the world they are about to enter, as it will look vastly different from the world of today. Our pace of change is so rapid that the only thing that remains a constant is change itself. Moore’s law basically tells us that computer capacity doubles every two years. It is not a stretch to apply that same law to society and change. Thus, while I remain a bit heartbroken for this generation of students, the graduates who missed sports seasons and proms, I am also buoyed by the notion that they will be the ones leading the country when I am in my golden years. They will have been battle-tested and ready to lead our country through the next great struggle which inevitably will head our way.
Graduates of 2021, your journey is our journey, and we know you believe as Tony Robbins believes that “the only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”
Godspeed,
Adam Rohdie
Head of School, Greenwich Country Day School
