Taking the Next Step
The following speech was delivered by Head Boy Shayan Rakhshan ’22 during our Prize Day celebration.
Alan Cohen summarized it perfectly: “There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” These past few months have been full of work, to say the least. Thus, it is with great contentment that we will be discovering the virtue in rest very soon during the summer break. Join me in reflecting on the past year of our Upper School journey, and seeing all that we accomplished for us to be here right now.
In September, we brought to you our year’s Prefect motto, “Climb Together”
In October, we were simultaneously haunted by the spookiness and inspired by the symbolic heroism of our younger brothers’ costumes during Halloween.
In November, we got to watch guys grow prepubescent mustaches in support of a successful Movember fundraiser.
In December, our senior soccer teams clashed in an exhilarating match, accurately dubbed “Thunderdome.”
In January, we marked our return to in-person learning with a proper Prefect welcome amidst a winter wonderland of snow.
In February, we celebrated Black History Month with this year’s theme of Boundless Potential.
In March, we hosted our sisters from Havergal for a fun HaverCrest social in the sports dome.
In April, our younger Middle School Brothers hosted Havergal for an awesome day of activities.
In May, we were given a lot of firsts, despite it being one of the last months. We had our first Grad Trip in two years, our first Luna in three years, our first FNL in two years, which we won, and our first in-person full-school assembly in two years.
Last year, Head Boy Tega Ajise ’21 said that at Crescent, no two days are alike. He was more than correct! However, despite this year being loaded with ambiguity and unpredictability at every turn, you have shown that by believing in the Crescent brotherhood and in yourself, you can do anything.
Nine months ago, we had no idea where we would be at this point in the year. It reminds me of an old saying about a boy and a horse. They walk into a forest, and the boy tells the horse, “I can’t see a way out.” The horse asks him, “Can you see your next step?” The boy responds, “Yes.” The horse says, “Then take it.” As a Prefect team, as a school, and on any other scale, this story encapsulates perfectly our mindset this year, which was moving forward one step at a time, no matter how big or small, as long as we were moving forward. As long as we were “Climbing Together.”
Thank you for a great year and have an amazing summer break.
