David O'Halloran, Headmaster - Saint David's School, New York City

Resilience. If ever there were a community that perfectly demonstrates the ability to adapt, recover, and thrive in the face of mind-numbing challenges, it is ours. Resilience meant not only reimagining school this year to enable all to learn in person, it also meant needing to ensure all boys could continue learning uninterrupted, despite quarantining, underlying illnesses or conditions, or family financial strain caused by the pandemic. When the school announced a strategic desire to provide tuition assistance to current Saint David’s families in need, the parent community, in true Saint David’s fashion, jumped in eager to lead. Unable to host an in-person benefit this year, the Parents Association chose to make our tuition support objective the focus of their fundraising efforts and so C.O.R.E. (Community, Optimism, Resilience, Endurance) Emergency Aid Fund was born. C.O.R.E. Chair Cindy Wagner and her te...

"The best way out is always through." —Robert Frost As I write, a February blizzard is barreling up the coast, burying streets and sidewalks under piles of snow. We needed this. It points to eliciting good from bad, courage from fear, resilience. We have been dealing with the adversity of Covid-19 for a year now. It has not been an easy journey for any of us, but I am grateful for the way the Saint David’s community has come together and risen to the challenge. The exceptional professionalism of the faculty and staff, the unwavering support of our parent body, and the optimism of our boys exemplify the courage that times like these demand.    We are in the middle of that marathon I mentioned at the beginning of the school year—the end is somewhat in sight but now our muscles ache, we feel thirsty and tired, it’s painful, and even though we see the end it still feels a long way off. Wouldn’t it just be easier to quit now? Call it a day? . . . No, never. The...