Convocation Officially Kicks Off the School Year

9/15/2017

Proudly wearing green and gold, with Kindergartners sitting on the shoulders of their seniors or holding tightly to their hands, the entire student body processed onto Grover Jones Field this morning for Convocation, Collegiate’s annual start-of-school celebration.

Prior to the event, more than 100 Collegiate alumni, parents and friends who have given for five or more years to the Annual Fund gathered at the newly renovated McFall Hall for a thank-you breakfast.

Head of School Steve Hickman welcomed everyone to the 19th Convocation ceremony and introduced the two senior SCA co-presidents, Kieran Cottrell and Lee Kennon. Kieran referenced his favorite book as a child, The Giving Tree, and how he came to understand the sadness parents must feel as their children grow up. Lee talked of her deep Collegiate roots, with both of her grandmothers having a connection to Collegiate, one as a student and the other as an employee. (Excerpts from their speeches are below.)

At the end of her speech, Lee introduced the Middle School Council co-chairs, Molly Woods and Jay Seevers, who announced the total amount raised for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma from a special “day of support” that took place earlier in the week. The $7,567.14 in contributions received will be sent to BakerRipley, a 100-year-old Houston nonprofit, and to other organizations providing long-term relief to hurricane victims.

Mr. Hickman continued with the day’s theme of gratitude and community, and spoke about why he is grateful to be part of the Collegiate family. He showed those gathered a treasured ceramic cougar he received when he arrived at Collegiate from Mrs. Betty Pitt, wife of the legendary Mr. Pitt, former headmaster.

“Receiving this [cougar] from Mrs. Pitt was a great honor, but also very humbling,” Mr. Hickman said. “I think it was her way of saying, ‘It is your turn. Don’t mess this up.’”

Another gift he received was a special tie from Alex Smith, Collegiate’s former Vice President of Development, who retired in 2016.

“For many years, this tie was Mr. Smith’s Collegiate tie,” Mr. Hickman said. “Like the gift of the cougar, it was humbling to be the recipient of this particular gift. The lesson I learned and continue to learn applies to each and every one of us: we all have our important role to play at this School. Let’s do it.

“We are all a part of something much bigger than ourselves and we are all responsible for nurturing the gift that is Collegiate School that we have been given. Each of us has his or her unique role to play in giving life and energy to this community, and helping sustain it for generations to come.”

Kieren Cottrell

“While recently wandering through my room, I came upon the stacks of children’s books and remembered my mom’s reaction to The Giving Tree years before. . . . As I read about this boy who just kept taking, I started to understand why my mom would tear up when she read it to me. The tree loves the boy unconditionally and gives him everything he needs to succeed, but she does so at her own expense. While the boy goes off to conquer the world, he doesn’t see the sadness that the tree feels while he is gone. He forgets who gave him the tools for success and doesn’t pay attention to the tree until he needs the next thing. I began to realize the fear that my mom, along with likely many other parents, feel as their children grow older and become more independent.

While our parents are one of our trees, we have another tree that plays a large role in our lives as well. Here at Collegiate we are supported by the kindest people. The leadership are like the branches of the tree, they often go unseen, but their impact on us does not go unnoticed. The teachers are like the trunk, they provide us with the support we need and are always there when we need them. Finally, our friends are like the apples. They give us the sweet moments of our years, the memories we will always relish. During our daily lives it is hard to appreciate all of that. As busy as we are, we sometimes fail to see what is being given to us and the gifts we have. Yes we are given a lot but it’s not always above our heads to give something back to the people that gave us so much. . . .

. . . So in an effort to show the appreciation from not just myself, but surely from other students as well, I would like to thank the faculty and staff for everything they do. Without them there would be no foundation for the children to stand on and no way for us to grow. Thank you. I would also like to thank all of the parents. They do it all for us and it seems sometimes it slips by unnoticed. So Thank you mom and dad for always being my tree. Thank you everyone and I hope you have a wonderful year."

Lee Kennon

“. . . My connections to Collegiate date back much farther than just 13 years. With one of my grandmothers attending Collegiate herself and another one working in the development office for almost 30 years, it is safe to say I was born destined to be a Cougar. . . .

. . . I stand before you at what feels like the beginning of the end for me, though I know it isn’t, just as my grandmothers’ journeys with Collegiate did not end in 1954 or in 1993. Instead, they both continued living and breathing green and gold until their passings. Throughout their lives, they generously gave so much of their time and energy to promoting and supporting Collegiate. . . . Many of the conversations I had with both of my grandmothers and now hold near and dear to my heart surround their time at Collegiate. I have heard many stories about what it was like to attend school on Monument Avenue, where basketball was played on the roof of the building, gym class was held in the wide grass medians in the middle of Monument, or what it was like working in development, creating the Collegiate we know and love today. Through these conversations, both of my grandmothers continually reminded me how much Collegiate has grown, and taught me to appreciate and take advantage of the time I have had here.

It feels as though just yesterday I was . . . the girl sitting atop my senior’s shoulders, as I entered my very first Convocation, and then went home and was able to tell my grandmothers all about it. But today it has all come full circle, as just minutes ago I walked my kindergartener, Ian, into my very last Convocation. Convocation has become one of my favorite Collegiate traditions as it allows me to stop and take in how much I’ve changed since the past year, and reminds me how much I love the Collegiate community. Now that I am a senior reflecting on 13 years of Convocations, it is even more special.

. . . I hope you take advantage of all that Collegiate has to offer. We are afforded with so many great opportunities, so don’t let them slip past you. As the years go by, remember that this place is more than just your school. Collegiate is a community where you are surrounded by people who care about you and want you to succeed . . .

. . . Both of my grandmothers always spoke of the impact that the people at Collegiate had on them more than anything else and now I see why. I don’t think I ever would have made it this far without seeing Mr.Crump’s smiling face everyday in the Lower School cafeteria, Madame Benson’s encouragement in the Middle School, or Mr. Cooke’s constant support throughout these past few high school years, just to name a few.

It is the faculty and staff who make Collegiate the loving community that will have a lasting impact on all of our lives, as it did on my grandmothers’. It is not just the new buildings and technologies that Collegiate has to offer that make it such an incredible place -- it is the people. It is the people and the respect and love you feel here that continues to instill a sense of Cougar pride in each one of us. As we embark on this new school year, don’t lose sight of the value of Collegiate, and remember how lucky you are to have ended up here. Good luck to you all and have a great year.”

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