Reflections of Havergal: 1994-2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Whole Purpose Behind the Whole Girl BTI , Sept 2013 By Diane Kim

For returning HC girls, do you remember back in April when the new student leaders for 2013-2014 were announced? The day had finally arrived, where fate was hovering over the excited and anticipating girls. The Gators were hungry for information, both antsy and restless in their spots. A name was clearly called out, followed by deafening cheers of approval. A girl rushed up, suddenly distinguishable from the mob of green and white, to hug the Grad who she’d be replacing in the following year. It seemed as if, through that single hug passed between current and future leaders of the position, the legacy, the torch, was passed on once again. What was the true overarching goal of this process, the one established long before the leadership ceremonies? It was to achieve the most honorable label that Havergal has to offer: being a Whole Girl. During my first year at Havergal, I often found myself confused by that term. Was it possible for someone to be half of a girl? I soon found out that it was a state of being, a goal that all Havergal students should be aiming to accomplish. Since the day Havergal College first opened in 1894, its main goal has been to teach young women to develop their full potential in all aspects. I’m sure you’re all well aware of Ellen Knox’s question: “What will you do?” This means that even from the very start, Havergal wanted to shape girls to make a difference in the world and to believe in their abilities while doing

so. But of course, our modern society is well advanced compared to 1894, and so is Havergal’s plan to educate successful girls. The term Whole Girl is more than a catch phrase; it was created to help us strive to be our best possible selves. Havergal’s recently revised definition of the Whole Girl means being a well-rounded person who can balance a variety of opportunities, feel connected to her community, and experience personal fulfillment through the choices she makes. This description still honors Havergal’s history because it’s consistent with the core values of our first Principal, Ellen Knox, and it really opens our eyes to the fact that morals are timeless, because they can be passed down for generations and still have the same impact on students. Since everyone has different ambitions to fulfill, each girl’s meaning of becoming a Whole Girl is unique. For example, Grace Woroch, last year’s School Captain, described being a Whole Girl as: “Someone who is willing to try a variety of different activities without the expectation of being perfect at all of them. You don’t have to be the smartest girl or the most athletic girl in order to be a Whole Girl. It’s more about putting yourself out there and giving it your all.” So with these ambitions in mind, find your own way to define Whole Girl and spend your years at Havergal the way you know will-make yourself great. What are you going to do?

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