A new tradition was started today at Island Pacific Academy during a special grades 6-12 assembly held in the multi-purpose room: the senior class was recognized as a group and formally took on the mantle of “elder” students on campus. The scholastic achievement of dozens of high school students was also in the spotlight during this larger format Town Hall meeting.
“This was the first time we, the Secondary division, gathered together as an entire team, with all students and all teachers,” says Kip Cummings, Secondary Principal. “We acknowledge our seniors at graduation at the end of the year…we wanted our entire student body* to recognize our seniors at the beginning of the school year as leaders on our campus.”
Lead by senior class president, Cara Pangelinan (at lectern far left), the Class of 2016 recites the “Senior Pledge” while Secondary Principal, Kip Cummings, and Vice Principal, Micah Banton, look on (at right on steps).
The senior class was formally presented to the younger grades as “elders” on campus. As a group, the Class of 2016 recited a “Senior Pledge” in which the students promised to uphold a level of commitment and responsibility to the school and their peers. Each senior was called up on stage and recognized individually.
Secondary principal, Kip Cummings, gets an exhuberant hug from senior Kasey Nunies during the special assembly.
Certificates were presented to students in grades 10, 11, and 12 whose spring 2015 grades placed them on either the Dean’s list or Head of School’s list.
Seniors on the Dean’s List stand in front of the stage with their certificates to be recognized.
Inclusion on the Dean’s List is awarded to students that maintained a grade point average between 3.33-3.6 on a 4.0 scale, with no course below a C during the semester. Those on the Head of School’s List maintained an average grade of 3.67 or higher with no course lower than a B during the semester.
The number of juniors on the Head of School’s list spanned the length of the stage during the assembly.
At the assembly Cummings encouraged all students to strive for a “growth mindset” instead of a “fixed mindset” by being willing to struggle and even face failure in order to learn and grow. “Did you know that when NASA selected astronauts, they ‘rejected’ people with histories of pure success and instead selected people who had experienced failures and bounced back from them,” she explained to the students. Sometimes even the smartest students will adopt a “fixed mindset” choosing only those situations where they know they will succeed and where deficiencies will not be exposed.
“Know that your greatest success, your greatest accomplishment will come from those times when you have to work through a struggle. Rather than resisting or resenting challenges, seek them and find your struggle. Seek the harder class, seek the more challenging project, seek the more demanding community service or travel program or job. Don’t live your life avoiding risks and refusing to accept challenges. Challenges will only make you stronger.”
*Next year, weather permitting, this special assembly will be held outdoors so that all grades K-12 can attend.
