Since the school was founded in 1966, we have used the Five Words to guide each individual towards their best in developing their character. These words are Courage, Integrity, Leadership, Curiosity, and Concern. This past week in the school meeting, students and faculty shared thoughts, examples, and lessons learned from these words. Faculty member Jesse Higgins '16 set the tone by sharing a photo of his father taken when he was a Hyde student. Mr. Higgins talked about the five words and the role they played in his life, both at Hyde and later in college. As he said to the community, "I called my Dad the other night and he said something that really hit me. The goal while we are here is to try and reach for our best. We will remember that."
Students and faculty shared the following thoughts on each word:
Courage
"I had the courage to go to Costa Rica and get outside of my comfort zone."
"Coming to the United States, I found the courage to embrace a new school."
Integrity
"I made a poor decision last year and realized how important my integrity was to me."
"There have been times when I went along with the crowd instead of thinking about what I thought was right."
Leadership
"Leadership is about standing up for what is right and supporting the best in our friends."
"I learned that leadership is not about being the best student or athlete but working to be my best and bringing out the best in others."
Curiosity
"When I was in college, I did my junior year abroad in a diverse community without my friends and really pushed my level of curiosity forward."
"My mom encouraged me to always be a learner."
Concern
"I end up being a better person when I am focused on helping others rather than just worrying about myself all the time."
"Concern is connected to our humanity. If you see someone who needs help, reach out in that moment and you can make a real difference."
Each student and faculty member who got up and spoke during the meeting received feedback from the group, and the session was a powerful reminder of the wisdom and insight that we all have within us.