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Contact: Jenni Brockman Phone: 804-443-3357 Fax: 804-443-6781 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tappahannock (October 4, 2004) - Today’s independent schools, particularly boarding schools like St. Margaret’s, are surprisingly diverse. About 15% of SMS students are American minorities, another 15% are from countries outside the US, and roughly 30% receive need-based financial aid. 
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The Rev. Hal White, a retired Episcopal priest and family counselor, recently led an all-school meeting on diversity in community at St. Margaret’s School.
“Living and learning with people who are different from themselves is a huge benefit for our students,” said Head of School Margaret R. Broad. “We’ve known this for a long time. Now even Harvard has changed its graduation requirements for the first time in 30 years to include the experience of other cultures as an essential part of a 21st Century education.” At a recent all-school meeting, SMS students had the opportunity to explore how diversity can enrich a community. The Rev. Hal White, a retired Episcopal priest and family counselor from Burgess, began by asking girls to give examples of how people are different. They listed a variety of factors--some visible and some not--such as nationality, personality, race, religion, age, “how you think” and “how you were raised.” White then told a story called “The Rabbi’s Gift.” The rabbi, on retreat at a monastery, made a strange pronouncement to the monks that asked him how they could revitalize their dwindling community: “The Messiah is one of you.” But before he revealed the story’s ending, White had girls work in small groups to identify what they need from the school community in order to be the best people they can be. The room buzzed with energy and excitement. After a few typical teenage responses, like “more free time” and “more sleep,” students began to name community-building behaviors like openness, empathy, trust and honesty. White then shared the story’s ending. When the rabbi told the monks that one of them was the Messiah, they began to look at each other in a new way. As they assessed each other’s unique gifts and talents, trying to figure out who was the Messiah, they began to respect each other more and work together better. The result was a stronger community that was attractive to others, and in time, the monastery flourished. The moral of the story resonated with students, who included “respect me” and “don’t stereotype me” high on their list of the kinds of support they need from peers and teachers. They will continue their work to build the school’s community through future all-school and residential meetings that are part of the SMS co-curriculum. |
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