As I write this letter, Dr. Wendy Mogel has recently spoken to a gym full of parents, the faculty and staff has been treated to an incredibly sumptuous PTF Christmas luncheon, and our Varsity Football Team has just won another CIF Championship. What a great time to be a part of the SMES community!
Dr. Mogel’s presentation was powerful on many levels, and those of us who were there will take away our own key messages from what she had to offer. We have focused this year on the notion of resilience and to no one’s surprise, Dr. Mogel’s speech was very much centered on this much heralded but often elusive attribute. One of the concerns related to nurturing resilient, independent and self-reliant children is that we are often far too focused on the results rather than the process. Put simply, those who are able and allowed to navigate the challenging waters of childhood and adolescence, and are encouraged to learn and grow from the inevitable ups and downs of this occasionally painful but always eventful journey, will likely be the most successful adults. Those who are shielded from the challenges and conditioned to focus only on the end product will likely miss the many lessons and poignant experiences that bring texture and meaning to the “process” of growing up. Our work, in partnership with you, focuses daily on helping our students (and ourselves) value and appreciate the process of learning and growing, and to a certain extent, letting the results take care of themselves.
This past Saturday evening, our varsity football team won a second consecutive CIF championship. To say that we are proud of this team would be a major understatement. With each passing game they moved deeper into the school’s record books by establishing statistics that are truly extraordinary for a school and a team our size. Currently holding the longest winning streak in all of California high school football, our team has been the focus of many conversations and a remarkable amount of press in the last few weeks. Our extraordinary record combined with the arrival of a true legendary coach in Harry Welch has raised questions about where we are going with our football program and with athletics in general. Are we on the way to becoming a big-time football power, are we going to be another (fill in the name of the school), has football now become our focus and our measuring stick? The questions are interesting and intriguing but the answer is pretty simple. Our football team like so many other things we do at St. Margaret’s is a shining example of what can happen when students are dedicated, inspired, well prepared, and appreciative of the process.
Recently, one of our standout football players, Daniel Morrison ’08, was asked by a reporter if the team was especially focused on the winning streak. In an answer that may well have surprised the reporter but didn’t surprise most of us, Daniel responded that the team was, of course, aware of the streak but this was not what would define their success. Rather, he and his teammates were focused on working together in preparation for the next game, and if done right, the streak (and another championship) would take care of itself. And indeed it did!
As we embark on both the flurry and the joy of the Christmas and holiday season, my hope for all of us is that we will truly cherish the precious moments of time spent with family and friends. In a very short period of time we will soon be back at school and focused on the next project, the next exam, the next performance or the next game. In the meantime, enjoy the season and the love of those around you. Best wishes to you and your family for a joyous Christmas and healthy, happy and peaceful New Year.
Warm regards,
Marcus D. Hurlbut