Convocation Address by Elizabeth D’Amour

Greetings and Welcome

Welcome to my colleagues on the Board of Trustees with a special mention to Chuck Taulk, our former President of the Board, To Headmaster Hill (FYI:   Headmaster Hill is my first hire in my new role as President of the Board of Trustees…and hopefully my LAST hire!  I think we could all agree that I’m batting 1,000 in the hiring department.)

Elizabeth D'Amour © Matthew Cavanaugh

Welcome to the esteemed and beloved faculty sitting here behind me, welcome to our hardworking staff… and welcome to all the friends of The Williston Northampton School who have gathered here on this beautiful evening. And of course, welcome to my dear husband, Charlie.

We all have our sleeves rolled up and our game faces on.  We are poised and ready to begin The Williston Northampton School’s 172nd year of educating students.

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Convocation Speech by Matthew Freire ’13

Presented by student government president Matthew Freire ’13 during Convocation on September 14, 2012.

To the faculty, staff and administration; parents; distinguished guests; and especially to my fellow Williston students:

Good evening.

© Matthew Cavanaugh

It is indeed an honor to stand before you this evening as your 2012-2013 student government president. I can hardly believe that it has been four years since my first convocation! I was excited, scared and uncertain about what to expect once I got here. Despite my mixed feelings, however, I was sure of one thing: that Williston would be perfect for me.

When I first arrived, I was astounded by how tall people were, nevertheless it didn’t prevent me from establishing the wonderful friendships I have here today. I arrived at Williston as one of the shortest freshmen and now four years and about three inches taller, I continue to remain one of the shortest in my class. However, my message to you today is not about how tall or short you are, it’s about how far you can go and what story you want to tell at the end of your Williston journey.

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