Below are the remarks made at the 2025-26 First Friday, a Waterford tradition for which the entire school—PreK to Class XII—gathers to celebrate the start of a new school year.

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REMARKS MADE BY HEAD OF SCHOOL, ANDREW MENKE: 

Good morning, everyone and happy First Friday! It is a pleasure to welcome you all back to Waterford School and to the start of the 2025-26 school year, and to our first Friday celebration. On behalf of your teachers and all of the staff here at Waterford, thank you for a great first week! It’s so energizing to be back on campus with everyone of you.   

First Friday, as many of you know, is a tradition here at Waterford where we gather the entire school—students in every grade level, and all faculty and staff—to celebrate the first week of school. It is a time to pause and reflect on our good fortune as a learning community, as we enjoy this spectacular campus, exceptional teachers, inspiring class work, and enriching friendships; and to set the course for the year ahead.

For just a few minutes this morning, I wanted to share some thoughts about our theme, with kindness, and how we —from all of you, PK students to members of class of 2026, and everyone in between—might practice being kind to one another and yourselves, as we pursue our liberal arts ambitions.

Pre-K students, you might show kindness when you share toys, when you invite someone to play, or when you give a big smile to a classmate who’s having a tough morning. Your kindness teaches all of us that little things matter a lot.

The rest of you Lower Schoolers, you show kindness when you cheer for your classmates; when you help a friend zip up a jacket, or when you say “thank you” to your teacher. Your kindness makes our school a happier place.

Middle School students, your kindness shows up when you include someone new at lunch, when you help explain a math problem, or when you choose words that build others up—instead of tearing them down. You remind us that kindness is a choice we can make every day.

Upper School students, your kindness sets the tone for everyone else. Younger students watch you. When you show respect, when you mentor, when you treat each other with care—you are teaching the whole school what it looks like to live with character and compassion.

Each day here at Waterford we learn about math, science, art, history, and literature. And as we do, we grow our skillset to read closely, to write well, to analyze and synthesize, to think critically—all the while expanding our sense of wonder and curiosity! And it is our relationships, and the kindness that we extend to each other and ourselves, that brings all of this to life. It’s what makes learning together possible. We believe that knowledge and goodness should always walk hand in hand. We carry that practice forward when we let kindness shape how we think, how we speak, and how we act.

So as we celebrate this first Friday, I want us to remember: we are more than just many grades on one campus, we are one learning community. And when each of us—from Pre-K to Class XII—chooses kindness, we make our school not just a place of learning, but a place of joyful belonging and transformative growth.   

Let’s carry that spirit of kindness into this year and throughout so that every person here feels seen, valued and cared for. Happy First Friday, and have a great year!

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REMARKS MADE BY STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, CIEL P. ’26: 

Hello everyone! My name is Ciel P. This last year, I had the privilege of being elected as Student Body President. If I haven’t met you yet, consider this me officially saying hi, and giving you full permission to wave at me in the hallway like we’re already friends.

A couple weeks ago, I was soaking in my last few carefree days of summer—iced drink in hand—when I made the rookie mistake of checking my inbox. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that nothing good ever lives in your inbox in August. Sure enough, there it was: an email titled ‘First Friday Speech.’ And if that wasn’t bad enough, the topic was…  Kindness.’

To be completely honest, when I saw that, I was stumped. Not because I don’t think kindness is incredibly crucial—it is—but because kindness is one of those words we hear so often it almost stops meaning anything. It’s plastered everywhere: on pastel Pinterest boards, on cheesy hardwood signs at Michael’s, probably embroidered on your grandma’s throw pillow. Be Kind. At some point it just fades into background noise. People tell you, trademark Nike, to just do it. But I don’t think we realize the impact it can actually have on not only the ones we direct it towards but ourselves. 

So let me back up. A couple summers ago, I was in San Francisco at a ballet camp. My class was filled with intense students who had forgotten we were supposed to be there for fun. Instead, a snooty “I’m better than you” attitude took over the room. It was miserable. I remember being so fed up I almost got on a plane to go home. 

But after a couple weeks the atmosphere completely shifted—and I credit this change to one of my classmates.

She was the prodigy of our class. Perfect lines, flawless turns, the kind of talent that makes everyone else suddenly re-evaluate their life choices. For the first week she barely spoke, sitting quietly in the corner, and because none of us were brave enough to approach her, we assumed the worst. We decided she was cold, maybe even judgmental—too good for the rest of us.

But one day I was forced into conversation with her when I accidentally kicked her in the back of the knees during a class. She surprised me—through conversation I learned she wasn’t superior at all. She was warm, funny, and ridiculously humble. We started to communicate through tiny actions. She smiled at people after combinations, laughed at her own mistakes, while still being an incredible talent. Her confidence and kindness was contagious. It gave everyone else permission to drop the stiff armor. That cutthroat, suffocating vibe started to dissolve. People loosened up and started actually talking to each other, jokes flew around the studio. We started to feel like a team. 

During this speech I want us to reevaluate our understanding of kindness. Kindness is power. It is the power to positively affect our environment with small pieces of action. But let’s dive into exactly how this is all achieved by something seemingly so simple. 

One thing I was surprised to learn while researching this topic, is that by practicing kindness we can physically alter our brain. When you help someone or show them compassion your brain releases dopamine. Regular acts of kindness increase activity in our prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls empathy. So basically by practicing kindness we are expanding our compassion capabilities as well. Kindness also reduces cortisol levels, making us less stressed. Some have even described kindness as the most selfless selfish act—because while you’re lifting someone else up, your brain is quietly rewarding you with a rush of dopamine, lowering your stress, and strengthening your empathy at the same time. 

Oh but that is not all, it is scientifically proven that acts of kindness have a “ripple effect.” When someone witnesses kindness, their brain releases oxytocin,  which makes them more likely to be kind to someone else. Studies show this ripple can spread up to three social steps away—meaning your kindness to a stranger could eventually change the day of someone you’ll never even meet. I think that basically qualifies you as a good person. 

The best part is, that being kind doesn’t have to be some grand gesture or huge effort. All these effects can still occur with something as tiny as a smile or wave. I think the queen example of how tiny acts can really change a community was our recently passed dean Ms. Nebeker. Though I do not remember the subjects of conversation or the questions she used to ask me when she grabbed my arm, I do remember walking away feeling valued and appreciated. Her physical act was small, a conversation and eye contact, but we all know and feel that her impact was immense. 

Many people are familiar with this famous Maya Angelou quote, but if you are not she said;

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  

Fellow Ravens, I’ve been at this school for nearly 12 years. I remember lower school recess teachers, struggling in latin in middle school, freshman anxiety and junior stress. And I know that kindness is applicable to any situation at any age. So when we talk about kindness we’re not talking about something soft or shallow. We’re talking about a force that can reshape your biology and ripple out into every person around you.

My challenge to you this year is a call for you to realize the potential you have to positively impact your community. You may feel like your acts of kindness are small and go unnoticed, but even the smallest intentions can create incredible ripples. There is no greater power than a chain reaction. 

Thank you for being a great audience, if I happen to see you in the hall, and you wave or smile, you know I’ll do it back. Thank you! Have a great year!