In May the
TES Board of Trustees hosted a bodacious reception for me at the Artillery Club
to celebrate my service to the school as I approach retirement on July 1. Among the various tokens of appreciation presented
was a framed commemoration of my tenure as Head of School from 2002 to 2017. A copy of this recognition is to be hung
alongside similar ones for Etna Parrish and The Rev. Dick Cadigan in Moody Hall near the
portrait of Budgie Hollamon. This is quite humbling for me…to be placed among
the significant leaders of Trinity history! I appreciate that the Board
indulged me the preference of using an image surrounded by children as opposed
to a standard portrait. That is exactly how I wish to be remembered at the
school!
Commencement
was held in Trinity Episcopal Church on May 31.
The 16 new graduates were as follows: Olivia Anne Baze, Morgan Caroline Chaljub,
Sean Tyler Funston, Peyton Anthony Galloway, Daniel George Golan, Dulce María Heller, Walker Denke Williams Janek, Briana Jean Janson, William Christopher McQuitty, Macey Lynn Mefferd, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Mixon, Sean Kalani Nance, Devin David Nash, Caroline
Elizabeth Neblett, Landon Bryan
Parsons, and Alexandra Lee Vasut.
I strove to make three points in the
graduation address: 1) Consider
carefully your definition of “success.” Avoid going too shallow with things
like “how you look,” and “the number of toys you acquire.” I challenged the graduates to go more deeply
by considering, for example, that success “is to be loved.” 2) Go ahead and accept that failures are going
to happen in your life. Do not let
the direction of your life be deflected by fear of failing. Borrowing freely
from the ideas of Brené Brown, I stressed that vulnerability will be required
if these graduates are to find their true calling in life and relationships. And, finally: 3) Never lose sight of the gift of Joy. I’ve
done my best to model a sense of humor. Please, please, enjoy the ride and take time
to laugh and to play!
Faithfully,
David C
Dearman
