Walker’s Begins 109th School Year

September 13, 2019

Walker’s entered its 109th academic year last week, welcoming 75 new students from six states and 12 different countries, including Bermuda, China, Colombia, Dominica, Germany, India, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom. Opening Days were filled with preseason practices, field trips, special assemblies and several opportunities for students to bond with their classes and teammates.

During Opening Chapel on Friday, September 6, Head of School Dr. Meera Viswanathan welcomed everyone to the new school year. Following an introduction of our new faculty and staff by Assistant Head of School Dan Meyers, Student Body President Kyleigh Holt ’20 gave her first address to the Walker’s community. Kyleigh reminisced about a memory from her first year at Walker’s, in which she nervously sat at a table with new friends, which quickly filled up with other students looking for a place to sit. “Let us start the new school year with goals to accomplish and dreams to aspire,” she said. “I encourage you all to ask, without hesitation, to be seated at the table. If already seated, I challenge you to continuously make a conscious effort to create room for others. Breaking the rules in the spirit of belonging and in the name of community.”

Arts faculty member Ben Barker delivered the faculty address. He encouraged students to embrace the idea of “do different,” part of his alma mater’s motto that had always stuck with him. “In order to do different, I’m asking you to do something,” he told students. “Being here cannot be a passive journey for you. I want you to be active – do something, do different. You could volunteer to do something you’re uncomfortable doing and see what happens. You could step up and make that presentation in front of your grade, in front of the school… Plan your time here. Plan to ‘do different’ here so you can do different throughout the rest of your lives.”

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year!