Welcome—and welcome back—to a new year at University High School! I am so glad to be starting another year together with you.
In addition to rest and sunshine, part of the opportunity summer break provides is a chance to break from our normal rhythms and get away from the day-to-day. For me, this means a good deal of travel, reading, and time with family. I hope it has meant something equally restorative to you.
This year’s theme is The Gifts We Offer, an examination of how people use their gifts, and tasks us to consider the many ways people use those gifts in service of others. Sometimes those gifts change communities, like Ron Finley’s gardening bringing fresh food to neighborhoods. Sometimes they redefine an art form, like Shakespeare’s plays or Alton Brown’s DIY cooking methods. Or, sometimes they are quieter—the generous hospitality of an old friend who welcomed Parker and me to northern Michigan, the conversation shared with a former student over dinner, the laughter of a child eager to share her favorite book. These moments may seem small, but they have a remarkable way of reminding us of things greater than just ourselves.
As we return to the familiar rhythm of school, I look forward to discovering the gifts each of us brings and the ways those gifts enrich the University community. See you very soon. I can’t wait to see what we’ll offer one another this year.