Proud to be a Charger

This past week I met with Dr. Reid Graves, the Valedictorian from the Shorecrest Class of 2000. When Dr. Graves left Shorecrest for Georgetown University, he had no plans to return to St. Petersburg. From Georgetown, he went on to University of Miami for medical school. He then completed his residency training at the University of Pennsylvania followed by a robotics fellowship in Melbourne, Australia. With that education and experience Dr. Graves could have chosen anywhere to begin his career! He has recently joined St. Pete Urology located in downtown St Petersburg.

 

In another recent story of alumni success, a member of the Upper School faculty received a delightful note from Bryanna Angood-Hardy, a member of the Class of 2014. Bryanna has given me permission to reprint her note:

“I hope the new school year is going well. I’m sitting at my desk here at McGill, reading for my class Geography of the World Economy and I felt like I should write you a quick note. The class only started a week ago, but, coincidentally, the majority of our reading has focused on material we covered in your class. Being one of the few people in my class who has had the opportunity to learn about this subject, I feel fortunate (and smart because people come to me for help). I guess I just wanted to say thank you for offering such a unique class and for teaching it in such an engaging way. A lot of my classes focus on similar issues (geography & economy, sociology & anthropology), and I can’t help but think that I may not have signed up for them as enthusiastically (or at all!) had I not taken your course. I hope you’re still teaching it this year and in the years to come!”

 

Clearly, one of the great pleasures the faculty and I are sure the parents of our graduates enjoy are the stories of how well the young men and women do as they begin their university lives. While it is not uncommon for students and adults to wonder if all the work and effort is worth it, the stories from graduates and parents of graduates provide confirmation. Many of our graduates get to their universities and see how others are not as well prepared for the academic expectations. If not during college, the light bulbs come on when our graduates experience success early on in their adult lives. Then it becomes easy for them to appreciate their parents for sending them to Shorecrest and to better understand why teachers had high expectations.

 

Past experience has taught us that hard work is usually rewarded with positive results. Yet, it is normal to question the value of that work while we are in the thick of it. Stories like Dr. Graves’ and notes like Bryanna’s are great reminders that Shorecrest teachers are doing a wonderful job of inspiring students and preparing them for bright futures.

 

Cheers!

Mike