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News & Photos
Student Body President Addresses School
In his Convocation address, Student Body President Neal D. '10 remembers the kindness he experienced on his first day at McDonogh and the impact it had on him.
Good morning and welcome back students, faculty, staff, and the class I may favor just a bit, McDonogh’s Senior Class of 2010.
The first day of school can always be a little mysterious and nerve-racking, but it always turns out well. Trust me. As I was writing this speech, it occurred to me that in all my years here, I’ve never really had a bad first day of school, even when I was a new student. My very first day of school, 5th grade, I wasn’t nervous the entire bus ride over. This was going to be the best day ever. I arrived at school, stepped off the bus, took about ten steps in the bus lot, and froze right in the middle of everyone. I stood there shaking and thought to myself, “Oh my goodness. Where am I? This school is so big. Where in the world do I go?”
So you can picture it: a miniature version of me, stuck shaking in one spot in the bus lot while everybody else ran by me to see their friends. Then finally after about 30 seconds, a girl came up to me and asked if I needed any help. Now, I was still so nervous that I couldn’t talk, so I just stood there nodding my head like a bobblehead. And you know what she did? She walked me right to the entrance of my classroom, even though it was in a completely different building than hers, and on the way she talked to me enough that I began to relax and ease up again. Looking back on that day, it’s the first time I experienced one of John McDonogh’s rules for living firsthand here, “Do unto men as you would be done by.”
That day to me epitomizes what the McDonogh community is all about. Now that I’m a senior whose journey is unfortunately on its final legs, it’s nice knowing that the cycle continues today with the youngest members of our school. The community feeling based on John McDonogh’s rules will be introduced to them, and it will become as much a part of them as it is with those who have been here for longer than I’ve even lived. So Lower Schoolers, if you see somebody off to the side while you’re playing a game, invite them to play. Middle Schoolers, if someone’s books fall, help them out because that’s what you’d like if you were in their place. Upper Schoolers, especially my senior classmates, help each other out and give back to the school as much as possible. Our time here is fading so quickly.
But you know, that’s why Convocation holds a special meaning for me; today, we add new members to our McDonogh family and get to show them what we’re really about here on the start of what I hope and think will be one of the best school years yet.
In his Convocation address, Student Body President Neal D. '10 remembers the kindness he experienced on his first day at McDonogh and the impact it had on him.
Good morning and welcome back students, faculty, staff, and the class I may favor just a bit, McDonogh’s Senior Class of 2010.
The first day of school can always be a little mysterious and nerve-racking, but it always turns out well. Trust me. As I was writing this speech, it occurred to me that in all my years here, I’ve never really had a bad first day of school, even when I was a new student. My very first day of school, 5th grade, I wasn’t nervous the entire bus ride over. This was going to be the best day ever. I arrived at school, stepped off the bus, took about ten steps in the bus lot, and froze right in the middle of everyone. I stood there shaking and thought to myself, “Oh my goodness. Where am I? This school is so big. Where in the world do I go?”
So you can picture it: a miniature version of me, stuck shaking in one spot in the bus lot while everybody else ran by me to see their friends. Then finally after about 30 seconds, a girl came up to me and asked if I needed any help. Now, I was still so nervous that I couldn’t talk, so I just stood there nodding my head like a bobblehead. And you know what she did? She walked me right to the entrance of my classroom, even though it was in a completely different building than hers, and on the way she talked to me enough that I began to relax and ease up again. Looking back on that day, it’s the first time I experienced one of John McDonogh’s rules for living firsthand here, “Do unto men as you would be done by.”
That day to me epitomizes what the McDonogh community is all about. Now that I’m a senior whose journey is unfortunately on its final legs, it’s nice knowing that the cycle continues today with the youngest members of our school. The community feeling based on John McDonogh’s rules will be introduced to them, and it will become as much a part of them as it is with those who have been here for longer than I’ve even lived. So Lower Schoolers, if you see somebody off to the side while you’re playing a game, invite them to play. Middle Schoolers, if someone’s books fall, help them out because that’s what you’d like if you were in their place. Upper Schoolers, especially my senior classmates, help each other out and give back to the school as much as possible. Our time here is fading so quickly.
But you know, that’s why Convocation holds a special meaning for me; today, we add new members to our McDonogh family and get to show them what we’re really about here on the start of what I hope and think will be one of the best school years yet.