Moment of Reflection: Thanksgiving 

As many of you know, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And that is saying a lot because I truly love holidays. If I am completely honest I love the build-up to other holidays more but, for the actual day itself, Thanksgiving is as close to perfect as it gets. It has everything— family and friends, delicious food (in our house breakfast is even a huge event and I just love cooking breakfast for my family), limited stress (unlike other holidays where presents can dominate and I am often assembling things until very late at night), football (I really enjoy watching football on Thanksgiving), and a great family hike (always a signature move after the big brunch in our house). 

I also LOVE the fall. My birthday falls on the Equinox although, for me, Thanksgiving is fall’s signature day. So, in honor of my favorite holiday, I thought I would share a few of the many things I am thankful for as Thanksgiving is finally upon us.

I am thankful for this beautiful weather — the much needed rain we have had — and the sun and blue skies. We are so incredibly fortunate to come to this beautiful campus every single day!

I am thankful for our seniors. Aubrey started the school year in his Convocation speech by asking us to acknowledge our fears and the ways in which they hold us back from finding our true, authentic selves. Whether it's you putting it all on the line in a NCS Championship game or being on stage with all of the vulnerability and heart it takes to truly become a character in a musical, you are each doing that every single day. I also love your senior speeches each week — huge thanks to Lael and Justin for their wonderful words today — and I want to enjoy each moment of the remaining time we have together with you this year.

I am thankful for our lunches in the GAC. If Thanksgiving is truly about breaking bread together and giving thanks, I never take it for granted that we have the great privilege of doing that together every day at school. The food at SA is legendary and one of my big challenges is figuring out what I am going to exclude from my plate — I have not yet mastered the craftsmanship of Brandon’s plate artistry. Legendary work. 

I am thankful for my high tops. I really love wearing high tops even though it is rare that I wear them at school (especially on a visit day). But I want to practice what we preach, lean into my true and authentic self, and this is clearly my footwear of choice. And yes, as some of you like to point out, these Blazers are pretty fresh. 

I am thankful for our Spirit Weeks, Halloween, and other dress-up celebrations at SA. I am already thinking about costumes and collaborations for next year, and I am thankful knowing that 1). Pink Day will return at some point (come ‘on SLC, I bought an outfit and everything), 2). “Anything but a Backpack” is now cemented in the culture of SA spirit week and, most importantly, 3). We will continue to recognize that having fun is the secret ingredient to what makes SA so awesome. I am psyched for musical chairs today. 

I am thankful for the arts. From the artwork and murals on our walls, the music that’s created each day (a special shout out to attend the Tri-M event on Thursday afternoon) and to the Cast and Crew of Chicago, the arts have inspired us this fall and remind us of our own humanity in the most powerful of ways. 

And I am thankful for the Community and Performing Arts Center. Given the size and scope of the project, construction has been pretty smooth. As we spend the next year envisioning all of the amazing ways in which we will use the space — both for the SA community and the community throughout the region — we will begin to imagine life in the building, which is inspiring and exciting. And if you came to Chicago over the weekend, you know we need a much bigger boat. 

I am thankful for carpool karaoke or what my ten year-old Ruby and I do on every drive which are really lip sync battles. These are epic — think two pretty bad singers but ones with the heart and the words to perform at a legit high level. She has me beat on Bad Bunny’s “Titi Me Pregunto” and Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me,” but I get my points with the Chainsmoker’s “Closer” and “Glory” from John Legend and Common. 

I am thankful for the Boston Celtics. Even Warrior fans on campus recognize that we have the best duo in the NBA. But, much more importantly, our greatest ever player and one of my childhood heroes — Bill Russell — literally has his jersey number on every jersey in the league. I can turn on any game — support Kevin’s Kings, check out Steph and Klay, and even watch the hated Lakers — and see Bill Russell’s number everywhere. Given that Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships and was a Civil Rights icon, that is definitely something for us all to be thankful for this year. 

I am thankful for our athletics program. To think what you all have accomplished this fall in cross country, volleyball, and soccer is truly remarkable. Cross Country is still going strong with a meet this weekend, and our teams throughout the winter and spring will carry on the best of sports and what it means to be a Coyote. I’ve got my new sweatshirt ready to go and I hope many of you will be in the gym for our JV Boys, Varsity Girls, and Varsity Boys basketball games on Friday evening!

I am thankful for our exceptional staffulty. There are such amazing, thoughtful, and caring adults who work on this campus. Extraordinary people who transform all of our lives. Take a moment before we head into our break to thank them and let them know what their work means to you. 

And, finally, the biggest thing I am thankful for is all of you, our students. You are each unique and original — your own person who adds so much to our community — and I am so thankful for what you each bring to our school every day. The ethos of SA is an eclectic mix, one that defies stereotypes and doesn’t easily lend itself to uniformity. Thank you for bringing your best selves to SA and for recognizing and repairing those moments when you miss the mark. 

So I ask everyone to take a moment to reflect on something you are thankful for either at school or in your life beyond SA. 

Thank You