During the unveiling of St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s new mission statement, at our first Upper School Assembly of the year, a parade of successful men and women floated across the projector screen. These alumni/ae, who research Alzheimers, invented toys and impacted the Civil Rights Movement fit the idea of the school’s new mission statement, “Shaping the minds and the hearts of those who will change the world.”

While the presentation featured some awesome alumni/ae, it shaped our perspective in an unproductive way. SPA uses these examples of notable graduates and past students to show how the school’s rigorous curriculum and strong education prepares students for entering the world and making their lasting mark. These include familiar names like explorer Ann Bancroft, soccer player Tony Sanneh and of course, author F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The pressure students feel from parents, teachers, and themselves to succeed could add to the stress level the school has attempted to alleviate with the new mission statement. Its call to “change the world” is daunting in the day-to-day context of homework, activities, and getting enough sleep.

Those who hope to become great parents, dedicated volunteers or hard-working small business owners might feel pressured by the new mission statement to make a widely-recognized change in the world. Not all students or alumni/ae want to become famous explorers or write the next American classic. And what we need to learn as a community is that this is not only perfectly OK, but actually an essential component of the uniqueness of our students and school.

SPA takes pride in the diversity of its students and faculty, whether that be racial, socio-economic or gender. We should be just as proud of the different successes and paths each student takes in their education and career. A “C” on an American Literature essay or a failed experiment in Chemistry can lead to as much growth and maybe even more understanding than bringing home a 4.0 grade point average or top honors in Science Alliance.

We are fortunate enough to attend a school where we not only study core subjects and concepts, but also learn study habits, self-advocacy and problem-solving. Our school should not just focus on results and legacy, but rather take the time to focus on the “shaping the hearts” of these future leaders and successes.

While some students love the boldness of the mission statement and others dislike it, one thing is obvious: our school is confident in its students abilities to make a difference.