A Character Goes on a Trip and a Stranger Comes to Town
Source/Author: Nancy L. Spencer, Head of School
February 25, 2022
It has been said, often credited to the famous Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky, that there are only two plots in literature: a character goes on a trip and a stranger comes to town. Those two themes stick in my mind as this week draws to a close.
The Middle School trips to Washington, D.C. and St. Augustine, FL conclude today and our eighth and seventh graders return home after days full of exploring and learning. Experiential education is a key component of discovery, and, developmentally, we know that Middle Schoolers love to absorb knowledge through interaction and hands-on experiences. The hope is that these trips will ignite a passion for new experiences and encourage our students in their lifelong learning. We know that our Chargers will return to campus with stories to tell and memories that they will cherish forever.
Characters going on a trip.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg returns to race through the streets of downtown this weekend. As I wrote in a previous Eybtes, I often like to picture teachers as an educational pit crew, supporting the students who sit in the driver’s seat, steering towards the future.
I think of a pit crew as a group of people who want the best for a driver. A driver relies on the pit crew to make important decisions in his or her best interest and ensure that the right equipment is ready and available. Oftentimes, it is the pit crew that tells a driver when to refuel or when to use push-to-pass, which is to exert extra energy to get ahead. Pit crews sort out the best strategy for the driver and provide information to help the driver assess their options. A pit crew and a driver, like teachers and their students, work together and succeed as a team.
Along with the influx of Indy car race teams, the Grand Prix brings tourists and lots of activity to downtown St. Petersburg. Streets are blocked off for viewing and there is noise everywhere! You can even hear the engines revving and roaring from all parts of the Shorecrest campus.
Strangers coming to town.
Life can be like literature, and I was struck by how these intriguing themes apply to Shorecrest and St. Petersburg this week. With upcoming Spring Break travels, or encounters with new and interesting people, our students are continuing to write the story of Shorecrest!
All the best,
Nancy
