Rowan's Kick-off Speech

Hi, I’m Rowan. I’m in the 6th grade and this is my 4th year at the Girls’ School. I wanted to speak tonight because in all my years at the Girls’ School I’ve never wanted to go anywhere else.

This has been an interesting process for me, because it’s allowed me to really think about and try to say out loud, all of the things I love about GSA. Four and a half years ago when I first came to an open house at GSA, I knew that I wanted to come immediately...that second...as in, right away or else.

GSA was so different than the school I was attending. Yes, there were no boys (and they are truly annoying), but it was more than that. The people were friendly, the school seemed so cozy and warm to me. The teachers were kind, and I liked that the classes were active and the girls in the class were curious and, compared to my old school, VERY WELL BEHAVED.

The girls at GSA made me feel welcome from the very beginning—in a different way than smiling at you then going away and sitting with someone else at lunch, it was more like they would smile at you and then sit with you at lunch. I remember my first day, sitting in a circle and learning everyone’s name and then later forgetting most of them and then worrying about forgetting most of them. I also remember having an out of body experience the first day of school, I did something I had never done before and have not done since, I actually walked up to Gabriella (to me, blond haired girl with blue eyes) and said “Hi, will you be my friend?” Well, turn’s out she lived two doors down from me, and we’ve been good friends ever since.

So, what does the Girls’ School mean to me? It means outside eating in the courtyard...... teachers who really care whether I'm doing well or not...... feeling free to express myself...... being sad *gasp* to miss school when I'm sick...... knowing everyone in the school (by name)...... having a school cat named Guillermo...... being accepted for who I am...... being encouraged to be smart AND kind...... and being the all-in-all best person I can be.

To sum it up, I tell my mom and dad I never want to leave. When I hit the end of eighth grade, you guys are going to have to push me outta here.