I have been asked to write a letter for the yearbook, which is quite an honor; however, I share it now rather than at the end of the year. Why? By the end of the year, we are in a reflective state of the high school years gone by (our senior class), and I would prefer for them to be thinking about the year now and how they can make the most of the final months at MCI. So here it is:
To the MCI Class of 2020,
Writing in a yearbook always increases anxiety, for you know that whatever you write will become a part of history with all the students and class of 2020. And regarding history, MCI has a rich history dating back to 1866, so one must be most thoughtful as these words form a permanent part of the MCI narrative.
We began this year with two focal points: resilience, which served as our theme, and community, which served to inform us on place. From the onset, our new boarding students from over 20 different countries arrived two weeks early for our SOLI program. During this time they demonstrated perseverance in overcoming fears and anxieties about a new country, state, and town, not to mention the challenges of making friends far away from home with people they have never met before. Our girls field hockey team scored a dramatic victory over Gardiner, never giving up throughout the entire game, knowing they can and will overcome. Our BBT ballet troupe remained resilient during the Cultural Heritage Day performance despite some technical difficulties: they never left the script. And our Homecoming soccer matches displayed teams, both boys and girls, that despite trailing by several goals into the second half, were able to muster the strength and determination to tie and send the games into overtime.
From the beginning of school, we also witnessed our school community coming together to help bring awareness and visibility to climate change with other students across the globe. We kindly welcomed thirteen students for two weeks from our partner school in China, an outreach that culminated in their cultural experience of our Halloween here in Pittsfield. These same students also bore witness to the MCI students, faculty, and staff serving the greater Pittsfield community with our Community Service Day. Our sport teams and clubs have raised awareness and funds for other national priorities, such as autism and breast cancer. At Thanksgiving, our Key Club and Kindness Crew prepare Thanksgiving Day baskets for the local community, and at Christmas, the MCI community provides toys for kids in the community that may not otherwise receive any. Whether within the campus of MCI, at the town, state, national, or global level, we are making a difference in communities.
To be a part of such a place with such people is an honor and privilege. It is one that I never take for granted as I constantly seek ways to grow and to improve for betterment of others. And it is clear to me that this graduating class of 2020 is no different in their determination. Continue to make resilience and community the very fabric of who you are. MCI has provided you with the character development, maturity, and experiences for you to make a difference in all aspects of your life–personal, professional, global citizen. To quote Alfred Lord Tennyson from “Ulysses”–
I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
Forever and forever when I move.
Keep those margins fading, and keep moving with the MCI spirit in your life’s journey.
Warm Regards,
Christopher M. McDonald
Head of School, Maine Central Institute
christophermcdonaldeducator 