Convocation Service Begins New School Year at Westover

Photo Caption: Westover’s Head of School Julie Faulstich (center), along with senior speaker Nola Iwasaki (left) of Southbury, Connecticut, and faculty speaker Shelby Neal, spoke at Westover’s Convocation Service September 10.

The speakers at this year’s Convocation at Westover School encouraged this year’s student body to approach the coming school year with a sense of gratitude, a belief in oneself and a desire to challenge oneself, but not to be disappointed if they fall short of perfection. The service, which gathered all of the members of this year’s student body and faculty and staff in Westover’s Chapel, was held on September 10.

In his introductory remarks, Academic Dean Ben Hildebrand reminded students of “the good that comes out of spending time together. Though much of your time spent here is in classes and activities, it is informal interactions that you have in classrooms, dorm rooms, on the playing fields and in conference with teachers that are essential to the Westover experience.”

He reminded students that their communities extend between Westover because “our connections throughout this country and the world are only a click or a call away. I would encourage you all to be present, to listen, and to take a leading role in getting to know your communities and the people within them better.”

In her remarks, senior class speaker Nola Iwasaki from Southbury recalled her two-week trip to Rwanda this summer with eight other Westover students, as well as faculty and family members.

“Every time we passed someone we would wave at him, and he would light up, break into the biggest smile, and wave back at us until we vanished from sight,” Iwasaki said. “And each time I would wonder how these people could have such difficulties in their lives, have been born with so little, and yet be so strong and so happy to see me, someone who had already had so much given to her. I would ask myself, ‘What have I done to deserve this life?’”

Iwasaki added, “But maybe figuring out whether or not I belong in this particular life, in this particular place, is not my task. What I can do is work to be a person who might be more worthy of this life, who does value all the opportunities I have been given, who does value all the luxuries I was simply born to.”

She added, “I urge you all as well to be grateful for the things you have been given in your lives. Although we all come from different experiences, homes, and backgrounds, we do have at least one thing in common; we are fortunate to be here in this school, to be getting such a good education, to be here together, with these students and these teachers. It is also my hope that you will not only appreciate these opportunities for what they are but also will use them to their full advantage because that is the way you can show your gratitude.”

In her talk, Shelby Neal, Director of Student Services and a member of Westover’s Class of 2000, shared that “when I was a student, I had to work extremely hard. It took me much longer than my classmates to complete my assignments and I always panicked going into tests and exams.” English classes presented particular challenges. “Sadly, I would approach my English assignments with the thought, ‘I hope I at least get a C.’”

Then, Neal recalled, during her senior year a beloved aunt died and she drew on the challenging experience to write a poem for a class assignment.

When her English teacher read the poem, she said, his reaction was, “‘This is good.’ I never thought I would hear those words from my English teacher’s mouth.” The poem was entered into several poetry contests and published in Westover’s literary magazine, and Neal was given a poetry prize at the end of the year.

“What I took from this experience,” Neal said, “is that we all have strengths and we all have challenges, but it is how we face them that determines what we will gain from every experience.”

Neal chose to study psychology in college, she said, “because I want to help those students who feel as I did. I want to help students discover their learning style and help give them the confidence I did not have. My advice to you as we begin another school year is to believe in yourself. Celebrate your successes and face your challenges with strength and pride, knowing that you can do it.”

In her remarks, Julie Faulstich, who became Westover’s Head of School in July, admitted, “I really enjoy being right. I come from a long line of Faulstichs who really, really enjoy being right.” But, she added, “starting a new job and entering a new community, I realized that there is no way I can reach this bar I set for myself of being ‘usually right.’ And moreover, it’s just not wise. If you’re married to being usually right in a new context, you’re going to end up wrong a lot of the time.

“More importantly,” Faulstich said, “it plays into the trap women unfortunately often fall into – that whatever we do has to be perfect — or it’s worth nothing.” She cited a recent news report of a study that reported if a female entrepreneur’s first campaign fails, she is more likely to decide that being an entrepreneur is not for her, but that if a mail entrepreneur’s first campaign fails, he is more likely to try again, and to keep trying until he succeeds.

“Let’s unpack the assumptions behind this desire to be perfect,” Faulstich said, “to meet all our goals flawlessly, to take the first ‘failure’ as evidence we should pack our bags and go home. It assumes there is a ‘perfect.’ It assumes there is only one way to be ‘perfect.’ It assumes the greatest value in the world is demonstrating an ability to be perfect. And it assumes that there is no mercy in the universe for anything short of perfection.

“As we proceed to form our community this year,” Faulstich said, “I would like to urge us all to question the quest for perfection. Just earning all A’s will not start you on the road to a meaningful life. Flaws, struggle, imperfections are what makes us human and what makes life rich. Challenge yourself but challenge yourself for the right reasons — to become a well-rounded educated person, to better understand the human condition, to push outside your comfort zone.”

The above information was sent to Patch from Westover School.