![Senior Speakers]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1674689829/suffieldacademyorg/uyfzrxu8wo62kwxtiseu/20230122_ChapelHP.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1674689829/suffieldacademyorg/uyfzrxu8wo62kwxtiseu/20230122_ChapelHP.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1674689829/suffieldacademyorg/uyfzrxu8wo62kwxtiseu/20230122_ChapelHP.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1674689829/suffieldacademyorg/uyfzrxu8wo62kwxtiseu/20230122_ChapelHP.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1674689829/suffieldacademyorg/uyfzrxu8wo62kwxtiseu/20230122_ChapelHP.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1674689829/suffieldacademyorg/uyfzrxu8wo62kwxtiseu/20230122_ChapelHP.jpg","width":2200}])
The 2022-2023 senior speaker series continued on January 23. It featured eight members of the Class of 2023: Kyle Dunn, Cole Higgins, Carson Gall, Jason Cao, Logan Lee, Chloe Coffin, Adriana Davis, and Sophie Galaburda.
Kyle Dunn, a postgraduate from South Windsor, Connecticut, chose to tell a fictional story about a “life-altering experience.” With humor, he said, “I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was swimming in the water off the coast of Mexico. The sun was shining, and it was looking like the perfect day. As I splashed in the water an unsettling feeling crept into my body. Then suddenly the water next to me erupted and I was looking a shark right in the eyes.”
Cole Higgins, a four-year senior from South Windsor, Connecticut, spoke about his relationship with his younger cousins. He said, “The memories I have with my cousins are unmatched and I wouldn’t trade them for the world... They motivate me to be a role model and to set a great example for them as they are only a few years behind me. There is nobody else I would rather spend my free time with.”
Carson Gall, a two-year senior from Cumberland, Maine, talked about following your instincts in life. He said, “What is it that makes us humans do the things that we do every day? What is it that pushes us to be the best people that we can be? The answer is this, we have to and need to rely on ourselves in life. Our instincts and our ideas are what get you to the places that you dream to go, the life you strive to have, and is ultimately our navigation system.”
Jason Cao, a four-year senior from Shanghai, China, spoke about being a Chinese TA at Suffield. As a non-native speaker of English, Jason said, “I know that learning with a native speaker of that language can help you a lot in your fluency, and this is the reason why I accepted being a Chinese TA without a second thought... Language is the gateway for you to learn more about a culture you are not familiar with.”
Logan Lee, a four-year senior from Seoul, South Korea, shared his message about leadership. He said, “There are many different opportunities here to lead and impact others. They can be in the classrooms, in the dorm, on the fields, in the arts, or in the many clubs on campus. The spots you find may not be where you or others expect.”
Chloe Coffin, a three-year senior from Sealston, Virginia, talked about her best friend Alex in her chapel speech. She said, “The thing about Alex is that she is always there for me, no matter what, and has been for the past fifteen years or so. I love Alex very much and I do not know what I would do without her.”
Adriana Davis, a four-year senior from Boston, Massachusetts, shared a letter that she had written for her brother’s twenty-fourth birthday. She wrote, “You are everything I aspire to be and have been for as long as I can remember. Intelligent, funny, sincere, reliable, considerate, and trustworthy are just a few among many of the traits I admire about you. Despite your hesitancy to let most see, I notice and treasure the person you are with me.”
Sophie Galaburda, a four-year senior from Westport, Connecticut, talked about the importance of her family. She shared some of the lessons she’s learned from them, saying, “From my sister, I have learned unconditional kindness is the only way; from my grandfather, Tata, I have learned how important it is to strive for your goals even when it seems impossible; and from my Gammie, I have learned how to be resilient even when times seem dark.”
The senior speaker series is a valuable Suffield Academy tradition and capstone part of the Leadership Program. It is a weekly highlight in our community.
