This End is a Beginning

Grade 3s, in just a few months, you will transition from being everyone's youngest brothers to having a set of your own younger brothers for you to guide. Grade 6s, you are stepping away from what feels like home to you into one of the most mischievous places in the world, the Middle School. And Grade 8s,  you are transitioning from a place where you think you're the big dogs, into my favourite step of our journey, the Upper School. 

And grads, we have a lot to talk about but I'll let you soak in the next few days before graduation because I heard there might be some tears on the forecast. In preparing for the exciting times to come, I want you all to think about the beauty that has transpired over the past few months, and the crucial people around you that made it such an awesome experience.

Think about your most memorable day. For some, it may be House Day,  which set the tone for how interconnected our school would be over the next few months. For others, it may be that key game or match that you played, representing the Crescent crest on your chest in front of your peers. There are an infinite number of small activities that happen every day that make you appreciate the journey that you've been on and the community that we're so lucky to be a part of. 

And there are a few key people that made this possible. The first is Crescent's faculty. In the rat race of daily activities, it's very difficult to take a step back and recognize how hard the people around you work to ensure that Crescent operates like a well-oiled machine every day.  From the kitchen staff feeding you day in and day out without failure, to the facilities team staying well beyond work hours to ensure our school is safe and orderly every day, to the athletics department ensuring all you have to do is worry about performing on game day. And to the administration, ensuring Crescent can run successfully year after year. 

I'd like to give a huge shout-out to Mr. Fellin, for steering the ship while also maintaining the most professional demeanor and best poker face I've ever seen. I'd like to mention our teachers who deeply care about each and every one of you and are always working tirelessly to help you grow. I could talk all day about how awesome Crescent faculty is, but deep down I know that you guys understand and recognize how important they've been to your journey, and you all appreciate it. 

The next group that has been instrumental in making this year so memorable is the Prefect Team. Each one of them has played an incredible role in strengthening our community and it has paid dividends. Even when senioritis hit like a proverbial fire truck, these boys would be in the school before anyone else, preparing for Spirit Week, Luna Orbit, assemblies, the incredible Friday Night Light videos and pep rallies, and the numerous other self-driven initiatives these boys have launched. 

The result of their efforts is the strongest inter-school and inter-grade connectivity that I've seen during my time at Crescent. I’ve seen Upper School boys interacting, joking and mentoring younger students as their younger brothers, and to me that's the most important function of the Prefect Team, so I'm very pleased to see this. 

I'd like to talk about something I learned while doing one of my favourite pastimes: scrolling on LinkedIn. Over the past few months, I've learned that one of the most exciting about Crescent happens 10 to 15 years from now. As more and more Crescent alumni come back to visit and reflect on their time at Crescent with their teachers and former classmates, the reoccurring theme I've heard from these guys is how strong their bond is with their Crescent family, even years after leaving the campus.

We're so fortunate to have a strong, vast alumni network of brothers who will do their best to help you in any endeavor simply because of how much they loved their time here.  That is the reason why I deem inter-school connectivity to be so important. As students, there is this silly unspoken rule that restricts us from making connections with students outside of our grades.

But I actually think a successful Crescent experience is one where you're able to make genuine friendships with students across schools, across divisions, and across grades, in years above and below you. The good way to do this is by joining clubs and sports teams, but the most commendable way to do this is simply by reaching out to people above and below you to ask questions, make jokes, and form that brotherhood. 

It's not uncool to have friends who are younger than you.  Because once you step off campus into the world, it's your Crescent relationships that last forever.  And at that point, no one cares if you're in Grade 10 hanging out with someone in Grade 9, or vice versa. And that is why when I see Upper School students talking to their younger brothers, both in the Upper School and in other schools, I feel like I'm fulfilling my duties as head boy. The Crescent brotherhood doesn't limit itself to your grade. It's a family that stretches across the world. 

Gentlemen,  I can't believe we're at the end.  It has been my pleasure to serve you as your head boy this year and I'm gonna miss each and every one of you because you are what makes this community so special.  As our class graduates, remember that we forever bleed green, and we are your brothers, so please reach out to us beyond our time here.  Best of luck to all of you on the rest of your journeys. I hope you cherish them.