Tonight Deerfield welcomed our 208 new students when they participated in “New Student Introductions”, our treasured tradition in the Memorial Building Lobby. This tradition is my personal favorite! All our new students gather in the “Mem Lobby” encircled by every member of the Deerfield faculty who take their places around the perimeter of the room. We are a community deeply rooted in our history and in no event is this more apparent than New Student Introductions. Our tradition begins with our new students being serenaded by our two a cappella groups, the Mellow-D’s and Rhapso-D’s. Joe Lyons, the Chair of our History Department, then shares historic accounts of our village and the important part it has played in American history. Our Head of School, Dr. Margarita Curtis, continues on with historic accounts of Deerfield Academy. As the faculty introduce themselves, our new students get a glimpse of whom they will meet tomorrow in their first day of classes. Finally, I call the names of our new students, who rise to their feet and introduce themselves to the faculty and to each other and in doing so become active members of the Deerfield community. Our treasured tradition gives our new students their first insight into Deerfield’s motto “Be Worthy of Your Heritage” – being rooted in one’s own heritage while searching out new opportunities in order to leave their own legacy for our Deerfield community.
