David Garnick, Class President

Be kind to one another, be kind to yourself, and Go Charter!

Senior Class President David Garnick welcomed students, and especially members Class of 2019, to the new year. His remarks follow:

I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to speak to you all today and welcome you to the 2018/2019 school year.

Exactly 12 years ago today, I sat cross-legged in the Graham Athletics Center, taking part in my first ever opening assembly at PC. For those of you who are attending this assembly for the very first time — which includes the entire Class of 2030, 110 new students to PC, and the 19 new faculty and staff members — a dozen opening assemblies might seem like a whole lot. For Mr. Burkhart — who is here today — attending his 40th Opening Assembly, and Dr. Bonnie, who, from my rough calculations, is attending his 57th — my 12 assemblies may seem relatively inconsequential. Yet, regardless of the amount of time you have been at Penn Charter, the school year ahead is a blank slate for all of us with endless possibilities for exploration, engagement and positive change.

I encourage each of you to take a moment now to consider the possibilities: What do you want this year to look like? How do you want this year to be different than last? At least for me, I want to make this the best school year since 1689. A new school year brings the opportunity to get involved in new activities, teach new students, and solve new and unique administrative challenges. This fresh year gives all of us — students, faculty and administrators — the opportunity to re-create the type of learners, teachers, mentors or friends we are or aspire to become. I have a strong conviction that we can accomplish this goal by being more engaged, open-minded, and positive and by taking a step back to deeply reflect and actively listen to others.

Most of us want the same thing out of the school year: to have fun, to be happy, to learn, and to take full advantage of all the opportunities we have at a place where we are privileged to grow and learn. Penn Charter provides us with an incredible foundation to achieve our goals and aspirations for this upcoming year, and it’s up to us as individuals to take advantage of and build upon these opportunities. We can all seek out the possibilities Penn Charter has to offer to ensure that each one of us has a successful school year. Whether you are a student seeking extra help from a teacher, or a faculty member looking for guidance at the Teaching & Learning Center, or even an administrator requesting a student’s assistance with a new initiative, Penn Charter provides support. Trust me: Just ask Señora Montero-Hricz about the extra help I needed in Spanish in third grade, or Ms. Bateman about the geography review in seventh grade. Even today, Mrs. Noonan and Mrs. Moses can tell you I am on the frequent-flyer plan in both the Math and Writing Centers! No matter how good a student you are, there is always more to learn.

Dr. Ford recently re-introduced me to the Quaker tenet guiding Penn Charter’s vision for the school year: Continuing Revelation. Continuing Revelation, he explained, is the idea that the entirety of all our lives is a spiritual and learning journey, and at no point will we arrive at full understanding. This upcoming school year, we should aim to embrace learning as a continuous process and be open to the kind of growth that comes from facing obstacles that stand in our paths.

As you set out today on your journey through the new school year, I hope you will be inspired by the principle of continuing revelation, and go forward with ambitious goals and an open mind. I leave you with the wise words of Walt Whitman: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine — and shadows will fall behind you.”

Be kind to one another, be kind to yourself, and Go Charter!