By Nancy Mugele, Head of School
Last year three things happened coincidentally in the year of Kent School KINDNESS which guided me to the word of this year – COURAGE. My daughter made a sign for my office in her beautiful calligraphy that said – Have Courage and Be Kind. A Head of School friend of mine gave me a bracelet that said Have Courage and Be Kind and Vivienne Turner, 4th Grade teacher, sent me an email describing why COURAGE would be a great word to hold before the community for a multitude of reasons.
The root of the word courage is cor – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word COURAGE had a very different definition than it does today. COURAGE originally meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.”
Over time, this definition has changed, and today, COURAGE is more synonymous with being heroic. Heroics is important and we certainly need heroes, but I think we’ve lost touch with the idea that speaking honestly and openly about who we are, about what we’re feeling, and about our experiences (good and bad) is also the definition of courage.
Kent School is a place of belonging where we strive to listen and learn from each other. In a world that is divided, it takes enormous moral COURAGE for our students to come together, take risks to grow, admit mistakes, and take ownership of their responsibilities. It requires a brave and devoted faculty to create the conditions necessary for growth in intellect and character. And, it took COURAGE last academic year to ban cell phones on campus for our students’ health and well-being.
The story of the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz is a timeless tale that teaches us about the importance of COURAGE. By facing our fears, acknowledging our vulnerabilities, and doing what’s right, we, too, can develop and demonstrate COURAGE in our own lives. “You have plenty of COURAGE, I am sure,” said Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself.”
Confidence in yourself and COURAGE – an unstoppable combination.
