Honor Day Speech
By Rebecca Ellen Sanders, Class Speaker
May 28, 2007
I thought I would put these on because they would suit me better for this speech, even
though my brother thinks they make me look like Elton John. My glasses are a part of
me as a Harpeth Hall girl, as a person. Good morning. My name is Rebecca Sanders,
and I am honored to be speaking today on behalf of my 8th grade class of 2011. This
class is so special because when together as a family we bring out the best in each other.
Each individual is unique, kind, and passionate in all that they do. Today, I would like to
talk about some experiences I have had at Harpeth Hall with this amazing class.
I remember the first time I walked into the dining hall. I was mortified. I was a rising
7th grader from St. Paul Christian Academy and I was going to the 7th grade orientation.
I had thrown on a green cable knit sweater from the Kids Gap, wrinkled khakis from the
Kids Gap, and of course a pink tank top underneath from, none other than, the Kids Gap.
I know I was quite fashionable--especially with my black glasses and thick disheveled
mane. When I walked into this room, I recognized no one except for some girls I had
seen around at sports camps and the ones from St. Paul. I sat in shock between my
parents during the entire meeting. When the meeting was over, my old friend from St.
Paul introduced me to one of her new friends who already went to Harpeth Hall. I
immediately gave this new acquaintance the up-and-down as all girls do. She marched
up to my friend and me and said boldly and loudly, “Hello there! We are so excited to be
having you newcomers next year! If there’s anything I can do to help, let
me know!” or something along those lines. I had never encountered a girl my age who
had no idea who I was, yet was so excited to get to know me. I was at once a little more
at ease than my earlier petrified self. All of us know what this feels like to walk into the
dining hall for the first time on the night of orientation, knowing barely anyone, yet
having some bold girl come up and introduce herself, making you feel like you belong.
During my first week of school at Harpeth Hall, I was quietly sitting in science class
listening to the teacher discuss Hurricane Katrina, which had just hit. The teacher asked
the class, “Do you think that we will be able to rebuild New Orleans after all of the
devastation that has occurred?” I meekly raised my hand and said, “Well, of course we
can rebuild New Orleans. We’re America; we can do anything.” Then another girl shot
up her hand and boldly stated, “I actually do not think we will be able to rebuild New
Orleans. Most of the city is completely wiped out right now, and the last thing we need
to think about is rebuilding. We have people starving and sick living on the roofs of
houses. It will cost us billions of dollars to rebuild. I think it is an irrational thought.”
After hearing this, I sunk down in my seat and didn’t make any more comments for the
rest of the class. This girl was incredibly bold and brave for voicing her opinion to our
science class. She taught me a lesson that day to think critically, and to speak up and
voice an opinion that might be challenging. To this day, this girl and many others amaze
us with their confidence.
I also was introduced to another girl’s strength just last week in English class. Our
assignment was to write a 5 paragraph essay about any symbolism or allusions we saw in
Romeo and Juliet. Our teacher read us an essay that went above and beyond the standards
of what he had set. The essay was about how Romeo and Juliet treat their relationship
like religion or a house of worship, running away to it to worship when they were scared
or needed to be loved. She also related Romeo’s statement of how his lips were like “two
blushing pilgrims” to how Romeo and Juliet were like two pilgrims beginning the
journey into their new, exciting, and foreign relationship. This stunned the entire class.
We looked at our essays and wondered if the teacher would notice if we stuck that
amazing use of symbolism in at the last minute. This girl was writing on a high school or
college level, and we were all stunned by her profound English skills.
In these three stories, you heard about girls in our grade who were incredibly friendly,
bold, and intelligent. Every girl in the Class of 2011 embodies these qualities. We feel
strongly and are passionate in all that we do, putting forth as much effort as we can. The
girls in my class all have different drives and goals. Whether it is a girl striving to make
the grade laugh with her shenanigans of acting like a gopher reading a juicy novel, a girl
striving to be a better actress or singer, or another girl striving to be a better Spanish
student, everyday knowing the meanings of words that we probably won’t have learned
until Spanish 3. If I could I would name each girl’s good quality because there is not one
girl in this class who doesn’t go forth with her best foot in almost all she does.
One of the things that we will miss the most about the middle school is the spirit of
kindness and acceptance. Each girl wants the other to succeed and be included. Parents,
you have probably noticed this when you have come to your daughters 8th grade speech
and heard yells and chirps consisting of, “Whoooo, Go Jean” or “Go girl!” No one is
judgmental and everyone wants you to succeed, from the 5th graders to the teachers.
Hah. I bet you thought I forgot you teachers. I’m sure you know that the class of 2011
will miss your desire for each girl to succeed and learn. None of you wants us to fail or
get discouraged, so you will do anything to help us succeed. I know that all of us, 5th,
6th, 7th graders included, appreciate that our teachers all want us to succeed. They will
do anything such as meeting us at school at 7:15 in the morning just to explain a simple
math problem. They will stay all afternoon to make sure that we understand the irony in
“Pyramus and Thisbe.” They will come on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for two hours
trapped in a hard, cold science room so that you can do well on your exam. These
teachers are dedicated and want all of their students to succeed. It makes us realize that
Harpeth Hall not only brings out the strengths in every girl, but also the strengths of the
teachers.
As you can tell from my numerous stories and vivid descriptions of teacher help sessions,
Harpeth Hall brings out the best in all of us. It brings out the true being within. We in
this class would not be the girls who we have grown to be today without each other and
the wonderful people that we meet at this school. When I think of Rebecca Sanders, I
don’t think of a little girl in all Gap attire confused and nervous of what others might
think of her. I think of Rebecca who wants to be the best she can be with the help of her
class, friends, and teachers. I know I am still wearing Gap, but hey, it’s not Kids Gap.
Yes, the hair still might be thick and disheveled, but whose isn’t? I mean come on! We
go to an all girls school, the hair is the last thing we care about. When I think of the
Class of 2011, I don’t think of the girls I met on a Tuesday night at orientation who only
knew the girls they had gone to school with for about 8 years and were scared to meet
anyone else. I see a class of bold, confident, kind, and intelligent girls who want to meet
new people and welcome new people into their grade. Harpeth Hall, you have made us
who we are and we wouldn’t be the same without you. Your kind spirit has helped us
grow in ways that we can never imagine, and we want to thank you. Thanks.