Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School Blog: Take Charge

Have you ever completed a project, but couldn’t submit it on time because you forgot to put it in your backpack? Arrived at school only to find out you had a quiz in math that you didn’t study for? Submitted an assignment, but got points taken off for not having the rubric requirements?

In its mission, Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall, “challenges young men and women to realize their individual potential, experience academic success, and develop moral strength and personal integrity.” Part of this work involves helping students experience and learn from the world beyond the boundaries of our 42-acre campus.

Rapid change, complexity, and social divisiveness mark the world today. How will we survive tomorrow? Will we be able to sustain the human values that we cherish - kindness, courage, empathy? What is the role of schools in this moment? Educational leaders are faced with a central dilemma; how and what do you teach in the context of continuing change, with facts and ideas that become obsolete in the moment, and careers and work areas that have not yet been imagined? And how does a school like CH-CH respond to these challenges?

The following article, And Now, Your Senior Presenter..., was featured in the 2017 issue of CH-CH Chronicle, the magazine of Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School. The Chronicle is available to read digitally here. Keep an eye out for more articles showcasing CH-CH Senior Presentations coming soon! 

It's 1:15 p.m. and the arched ceiling of the Assembly Hall echoes with the laughter of students as they continue their conversations from lunch. The crowd becomes silent as the Head of School, Dr. Lance Conrad, approaches the podium and straightens the microphone. After giving a reminder to place phones on silent, Dr. Conrad introduces one of the most significant traditions at CH-CH with steady words, "And now, your Senior Presenter..."

You begin to walk to the front of the classroom, feeling the eyes of your classmates watching you. You walk slowly, one step at a time, palms sweating, heart rate quickening. But then you pause. You take a look at your One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest poster with its beautiful, vibrant colors and remember that you spent at least an hour and a half practicing in preparation for this presentation. You turn to the class, feeling confident, a smile spreading across your face and feel not so nervous anymore.

Art-making in the 21st century is challenging, rewarding, and maddening, all at once. To succeed as an artist in the 21st century, you must be well-versed in technology, oral and written communication, art history, politics, and of course, your medium. Whether it’s as a performer or a visual artist, being creative is multi-faceted.

Did you know that studies have shown that students that hand-write their notes learn more than those that type their notes? I mention this because notes are one of the most crucial tools in keeping students organized and allowing them to develop their own understanding of new material, but when is the last time that anyone has thought about how they're taking notes?

I still vividly remember the moment I stepped out of my mother’s car and walked all alone out to the field for the first day of field hockey tryouts. Not only was I a new student but field hockey was a new sport for me. I was certainly very nervous, but overcoming those initial butterflies was so important for me to start 9th grade well. By the first day of classes, I knew my way around campus and recognized faces when the entire school gathered. Now, as the Director of 9th and 10th Grade Programs at Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School, I’ve been able to experience many, many first days from a variety of perspectives, I would like to offer these 5 tips for getting involved at your new school to make your first year your best year ever!

How many times have you gotten nervous about something... anything, and said to yourself with a cautious chuckle, "Never mind, I'll just worry about it later."? If you nodded your head while reading that last bit, then you've come to the right place. It's easy to put off those things that scare us, but inevitably, it just makes the end result that much harder. Entering a new school can be one of those things that makes us nervous, but I've put together three tips to help start your school year strong! 

Does the thought of the SAT and ACT make you nervous? Do college tours and fairs make your palms sweat? Overwhelmed and haven't even started junior year yet? Sit down, have some water, relax and have no fear. Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall's Director of College Counseling, Brooke Fincke, has counseled over 500 students through the college admission process, and has put together a comprehensive list of the entire college process, from the first day of 11th grade to graduation, in easy-to-follow steps: