Message From Head of School - Jean Waller Brune
I have just finished reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. The book is the compelling story of one man’s mission to promote peace...one school at a time. News anchor Tom Brokaw wrote, “Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.”
One of the most poignant passages in the book comes when Haji Ali, the leader of the village where Mortenson is building the first of his many schools, gives 12 large rams – half of his village’s marketable wealth – as a pay-off so the school can be completed. The villagers and Mortenson are stunned by the enormity of the bribe, but Haji Ali tells the villagers, “Don’t be sad; long after all those rams are dead and eaten, this school will still stand. Haji Mehdi has food today. Now our children have education forever.” Later he holds out his Koran to Mortenson, saying, “Do you see how beautiful this Koran is? I can’t read it. I can’t read anything. This is the greatest sadness in my life. I’ll do anything so the children of my village never have to know this feeling. I’ll pay any price so they have the education they deserve.”
Those of us who teach at RPCS and you who send your daughters here know, also, the transformative power of education. Their Roland Park Country School education starts your daughters on the road to being life-time learners. They go on to college well prepared for this next stage in their education. Perhaps even more importantly, they go on to college and their life beyond that to be leaders, whose lives speak for themselves by example and attitude.
This year, under the leadership of Chris Gummerson, our SGA President, our students are working to change the world through education – two schools at a time! They are raising funds to build a school in Sierra Leone, a third world country through Free the Children, the largest organization of children helping children through education. At the same time, committed to their own school, they are simultaneously fundraising for our new athletic complex. In the most recent issue of our student newspaper the Red and White, Chris writes, “We want to build not only for ourselves but also for those who have previously been unable to go to school.”
Just recently I came into my office to find an envelope waiting for me. In it was $1.50 and this note: The gym seems to be going well. I know $1.50 won’t help much, but here you are. Hope your day is going well. Say hi to Parker for me! P.S. If there is anything I can do to help, just ask.
Every small donation DOES help our school and the school in Sierra Leone. An anonymous matching gift has been offered to continue to inspire our school community to support this effort. We will collect lose change from now throughout the spring which will be matched, penny for penny up to $1000.
To date our students have raised $6200. Our All-School Walk on March 28 will support this project. The Lower, Middle and Upper Schools have plans “in the works” for spring fund-raising. Support and encourage our vibrant, resilient spirited students to achieve their goal.
“We may either smother the divine fire of youth or we may feed it.” Jane Addams
~ J.W.B.