Harper Clark ’26 Speaks at Eighth Grade Celebration

Harper Clark ’26 shared these remarks with classmates, friends, and families at the Eighth Grade Celebration in May 2022.

When I first came to MICDS, it was in the middle of the pandemic. It was the beginning of Zoom classes for all of us. And you know what? It was a rough start. I was tardy on the first day; not setting myself up for success as they say. But on a positive note, I got to know Ms. Webster very well and have seen her for the majority of the days I come to school. On top of that, I was having technical difficulties with my computer and had to spend the majority of the morning in the IT department to get the problems resolved. With this whirlwind of events, I was worried and nervous as this was my first day at a new school. However, I quickly came to learn how supportive and embracing the group of students and faculty have been. Even though I missed out on the Bridge experience, I felt welcomed by MICDS from the very first day of classes. Even through the pandemic, our class managed to find a way to collaborate and support one another. Through cohorts, I made some of my closest friends at MICDS. Being in a new school was a quick adjustment, and the first half of the year went by so quickly. MICDS started feeling like home after the first couple of weeks of school.

I think the bond between my peers and me is what made me greatly enjoy my MICDS experience. Our class has a good sense of humor. The comedic jokes extend beyond the student body to the teachers. The Middle School is an amazing place where we have laughter, and the teachers are one of the best aspects of the MICDS community. They are fun, loving, supportive, and most importantly, try to help set students up for success to the best of their capabilities. They all have different methods of teaching, and that is what makes them so interesting and fun. They are getting us ready for Upper School. I look forward to Upper School because I know we will grow so much more, not only academically, but we will support each other as a class.

As we move on to Upper School, there are a few things about Middle School that I will miss. I’ll miss my advisory, and I’ll miss all of my teachers, and how each teacher has touched each and every classmate. I have learned so much from all my teachers, especially Mr. Shockley. Mr. Shockley has taught me to grow and challenge myself in different ways I couldn’t have imagined. Every Middle School teacher I had this year and last year has shown me how to grow and become the best student I can be. I cannot believe my time as a middle schooler has come to an end. Looking back to the beginning of the year, a wise teacher said everyone has their own story, and their story is history. Well, Eighth Grade, we made our own story and made history as the Class of 2026, and it is different from any other Middle School class. Thank you, Mr. Shockley, for teaching this valuable lesson that we can all take into our high school experience. Fortunately, I will not miss the Class of 2026 too much because we will see each other in the hallways in August and create many more memories. I couldn’t have asked for a better middle school experience, and better yet, to share it with the Class of 2026.