Making Your Mark and Living Your Character

Michael Fellin, Headmaster of Crescent School
As the end of the school year approaches, I have been thinking about the character strength of grit – a critical ingredient in our vision of the graduate. Our Prefects, under Head Boy Andrew Youngson’s excellent leadership, challenged all Crescent students to “Make Your Mark” this year. When I think of this challenge, I think of grit. Truly making your mark is not just discovering your unique promise, it is about doing something with it, leaving something behind – in other words, living your character.
Sometimes, however, our promise can distract us from the hard work, dedication and persistence required to turn that promise into achievement.

I recently attended a talk by Angela Duckworth. She is a celebrated researcher and professor at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of the Character Lab. Duckworth argues that what drives success is not “genius” but a unique combination of passion and perseverance. As her 2013 TED Talk describes, having promise or talent is not enough, you need skill and effort to put it to use in order to be truly successful.

That’s why Stephen Curry has the NBA record for the most three-pointers in the regular season, why Steve Jobs was able to launch two of the most valuable and creative companies in modern times, why Will Smith is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors: because people who perform at a world-class level know that without the pain of deliberate practise there is no gain of sustained success. They don’t rely on their promise alone – they aim to grow it through regular and routine rehearsal, exercise and training. Thus, “making your mark” is a call to practise your character again and again and again so that you can be a good and successful person over your entire life. It follows that becoming a good person requires you to practise being good.

Every day, our students have opportunities to develop and demonstrate these qualities – the repeated habits of being – through our “Character-in-Action programs: the Arts, Athletics, Business, Robotics and Outreach.

Our Character-in-Action programs require the dedication of the teachers, mentors, coaches, non-teaching staff and volunteers. Together they are the most important feature of a Crescent education.

There were many Character-in-Action highlights this year. Under the direction of Dr. Sandra Boyes, the Lower and Middle School boys started their year strong during BEAR week, shone during LUNA and in the recent staging of Madagascar Jr., competed so well in the U11 soccer and CISAA cross-country championships, and encouraged new student-led House Leadership activities to promote the betterment of the school community.

Through the leadership of Mr. Nick Kovacs, the Upper School boys were at their best in the highly professional and memorable performance of The Laramie Project; while competing on the world stage in Robotics and DECA; through the inspiring run of OFSAA basketball and CISAA rugby; and through their service leadership nationally and internationally.

We also have staff members who exemplify Character-in-Action without fanfare. At our school assembly this month, we acknowledged our facilities and kitchen staff. They do not typically prefer the spotlight, but deserve to be celebrated for their hard work, dedication and persistence. They work tirelessly to keep our school clean, our parking lot safe and our bellies full. Their “grit” is truly making a mark on our school, and playing an important part in the education of all our Boys of Promise.

Veritate Stamus et Crescimus.

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