Harmony - A Joyful Balance

Saint David's Parents Association Benefits are many things: evenings of dining, dancing, auction bidding.

Above all, they are a celebration of our community.

And what a community we are! This year's event, held Friday evening, broke all records for attendance: more than 620 parents, faculty and staff gathered for Harmony - Joyful Balance to enjoy each other's company and to honor our school. It was an evening that will live long in our collective memories and hearts.

The benefit theme riffed off our theme for this school year. In joyful balance we celebrate the joy that comes from our boys finding the good within the balance of our four pillars: Academics, Arts, Athletics, Spirituality. Our boys' endeavors, whether in science labs, the art and music studios, gymnasiums, or Chapel, lead to their discovery and exploration of interests, passions, and beliefs. Along the way, they learn to listen to and respect others’ thoughts and opinions--the value of civil discourse--as they build confidence and faith in themselves, their families, and their community.

In harmony, we recognize that music is truly found not in the notes of a song, but in the silence in between. Our teachers are in the in-between. They are the music, guiding our boys to be "all that they can be; all that they will be." Our parents, our partners.

From the second that the doors of Cipriani 42nd Street opened, to the final call of the after party, the harmony and joy of our community was on full display. In deep gratitude to the Benefit Chairs Natalia Torres and Carolyn Traut; all their committee chairs, our PA President Norris Daniels, Director of Development Maureen Barry and her team, and to the cast of thousands who made Friday evening possible.

Ut viri boni sint.

Enjoy viewing (or re-viewing) the video:

"The Wisdom Within" - Building Student Motivation Through Choice

In the third entry of our Teaching Boys Initiative quarterly blog series, Master Teacher Jim Barbieri explores how providing boys with agency to choose builds motivation and enhances learning. BUILDING STUDENT MOTIVATION THROUGH CHOICE By the time I was eight years old, I had become completely absorbed in all things baseball. Living in New York was perfect for a baseball fan; although I was a Mets fan thanks to my idol, Tom Seaver, I was also interested in learning about all the amazing Yankees stars of yore. How could I call myself a baseball fan if I didn’t know the history and records of stars like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Yogi Berra? I loved collecting baseball cards and reading the career statistics of each player on the back. Looking through my collection one day, I discovered that I shared a birthday with the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente. At eight years old, I was crushed to hear the news that he had died tragically in a plane crash while trying to ...

"The Wisdom Within" - The Superpower of Performance

In the following entry of our Teaching Boys Initiative blog series, Saint David's Director of Music and Master Teacher Jeffrey Moore explores how participating in performances and productions build transformative competencies, transmit values, and inspire boys to excel. Jose Antonio Abreu, one of the leading educators in classical music and the founder of El Sistema said this: “Music has to be recognized as an agent of social development in the highest sense, because it transmits the highest values — solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion. And it can unite an entire community and express sublime feelings.”¹ At Saint David’s School, performance begins in the very first years. Each class, from Pre-K through Eighth Grade, presents their work to an audience of peers and parents, whether it is a story, a skit, a play, a lecture, or a musical presentation. But the increasing complexity and demands on our boys to push themselves to another level is the key to their development and succes...

A Life-Changing Diagnosis

When he was in seventh grade, Emmet O. '21 loved life at Saint David's School and with his friends. He was active in sports, on the school paper, and served on student council. Then, after experiencing symptoms, he learned he had Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), which he describes as a life-changing diagnosis. Last Thursday, Emmet, a senior at Regis High School, who will be attending The University of Pennsylvania in the fall, inspired our seventh and eighth graders with a Chapel talk about his response to the diagnosis. Rather than allowing it to discourage him, he was determined to control his condition independently, to raise awareness about the disease, and to help provide a support system for other young people diagnosed with T1D. Emmet became an active volunteer for a variety of diabetes organizations. He also wrote an adventure story, Drew Discovers Diabetes , about a dinosaur who is diagnosed with T1D and learns to manage it. Published last year, the book was written to inspire ...

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

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