On December 3rd, 2015, Becca Archambault ’16 recited a poem that she wrote as her Chapel speech. Watch the full Chapel service here. Her poem is found below.
I want to tell you a story, if you ‘ll lend me an ear,
Not an extraordinary story, but one completely sincere.
Of a girl in your shoes who was consumed in her stress,
And lost sight of the meaning of fulfilling success.
Until one day on campus, she had a revelation,
Brought on by unnecessary pressure causing frustration.
For the girl on her journey had been cheating herself,
Boxing up all her true values to be placed on a shelf.
She was unhappy, uninspired and dreaded each morning,
That brought her to school, where she spent the day scorning.
But on this day that box of values fell down with a loud dusty clatter,
She was abruptly awoken to the things that do matter.
But let me pause there and begin back at the start,
Where all that she knew to be true was placed in her heart.
1994, a young couple chose to get married,
at 21 and 23, so much life they already carried.
For they didn’t come from a stable beginning or much money at all,
On each other they relied to survive the adversity they saw.
They worked their way through college, no ivy league place,
But they knew together they’d make it, whatever the case.
For they knew what was important and kept it in mind,
And when their children were born, in their souls they did wind,
That there was more important things than what people might say,
And from this mass thought you must be willing to stray.
The girl of my story is this couple’s second child,
She was always stubborn, rebellious and full of a spirit that’s wild.
“You can be anything you want,” her mother would whisper in her tiny ear.
“If you work hard enough, no obstacle should you fear.”
“You can be anything you want, if you learn to question, to think,
Open your eyes, take it in, there’s so much to see, hardly time now to blink.”
On little legs she danced in endless rolling fields of grass,
Where fallen leaves and wilting flowers taught how no life can ever last.
But her mother taught her names of insects and how each spider, fly and bee played its part,
So to treat each tiny life with kindness, always hold an empathetic heart.
And each day brought new exploration, new knowledge and newfound truth,
But with each of these came questions, further wonder and growing from youth.
For the world can be ugly, painful, harsh and this her parents never masked,
But told her with education comes power to combat, and with this she was tasked.
When she faced big kids on playgrounds who spoke words that were cruel,
She came home with concerns of fitting in, being cool.
Her dad told her to be frank, to be honest, to speak up for what’s right,
Even if it meant being different, and putting majority to a fight.
And when she asked of the meaning of all she saw around,
He told her he was uncertain but the universe is certainly profound.
And no one knows for certain what religions might teach as fact,
But she should learn how to consider all before her, form her own ideas, never blindly following a pack.
He told her of the Milky Way and the names of countless stars,
He told her many theories of existence and that there was more worlds than simply ours.
She was allowed to pick out her own clothing from a very young age,
So she could match her outward appearance to how she was feeling that day.
For her parents agreed children must learn to make their own choices,
And hold many different, peaceful ways to bring out their voices.
And her mother filled her life with splashes of color,
Reciting poetry each night with enthusiasm matched by no other,
And teaching her art history, and letting her learn how to paint,
And to play music with passion, for creativity there was never constraint.
One day with confusion she asked, “But mom, what’s the importance of art?”
To which she was answered, “Freedom of expression is simply the start,
Of inspiring change, reaching hearts and spreading a message,
And seeing the beauty of life amidst all the wreckage.”
And when in fourth grade she came home crying with a spelling test marked “D”,
Her father laughed at her tears and said, “My dear daughter please…
This grade doesn’t matter, the number means nothing at all!”
He then made silly songs so she learned to spell all the words she got wrong.
Each small thing she learned, led her to inquire about something new,
She’d converse, read countless books, experiment. Her wonder, it just grew and it grew.
With a capable mind and a deep love of life,
At eleven year’s old, none of her education felt like a strife.
And the girl got into a prep school with some of the best academics around,
So her first time on campus, in her mind a doubt couldn’t be found.
But let’s fast-forward 7 years to 2015,
Senior year had become no sleep, and lots of caffeine
That fall she found, the seniors particularly were all feeling quite flustered
They sighed and they cried in the lounge where they clustered.
For applications were calling, and soon grades were due,
And the dress code, the rules, and the grass were all new.
With so much worry, they were not feeling united,
They turned on each other, their spirit divided.
For unity they thought, meant to be all one, all the same
To not join in this effort would bring them great shame.
All the gray hallways were dull, all blue scattered with white,
Vibrant, happy colors, there were none to be found to illuminate sight.
For all the day-brightening sweaters had been banished away,
In backs of closets at home now they must stay.
Clothing no longer reflected one’s feelings that day,
But instead serve to make them the same, take difference away.
And the grass was so fresh, beautiful, and surely pristine,
But so lonely it was, as from footprints it was all-clean.
For no longer were grass fields for dancing and exploring,
But at EA they existed simply for image, perfectly displayed flooring.
And like always EA’s ground had its normal atmosphere,
High in the pressure and competition that always bred fear.
Ivy league schools, money and fame,
Was from what they were told success always came.
Business, law and medical school,
Anything else, you’re considered a fool.
“You can be whatever you want if you work hard enough.”
Turned into, “You can have the best grades, the most money, the most prestige if you just never give up.”
And those who felt differently, could not be heard,
For due to persecution, they dare not say a word.
And something was wrong with the girl, she was feeling quite glum,
Her wonder at life that she’d held all along,
Had tiptoed away, right out of her soul,
And not her mind, nor her body, nor her spirit were feeling quite whole.
She participated in much, did her work, got good grades,
But her life had become gray, in very few shades.
Empathy had been forgotten, replaced by strife for superficial success,
She thought would make her happy, but just left her with less.
One night at her kitchen table she sat holding her head,
Tears ran down her face as she longed for her bed.
Her dad found her there, surrounded by papers and books,
And sighed when he saw her quite despaired looks.
When he asked her “What’s wrong?” she wept, “I can’t get an A!”
Her always calm Dad responded, “You can’t think that way!”
“Think of the lessons, the growth and the knowledge
That you have gained, don’t think of college!”
“Education is more than the grades and the facts.
You must think of learning how to question and act.”
Although she shooed him away as to finish her work,
His words brewed in her mind, and cut through the murk,
That had been clouding her thoughts for the last handful of weeks.
And caused her to reflect on her life with a couple critiques.
She remembered the lessons she’d learned as a child,
The things that ignited her spirit and made living worthwhile.
She knew that to go forward she must make a change,
The goals that led her life, she must rearrange.
Furthermore, she remembered her parents telling her to always speak out,
For what she knew to be right, and part ways with the crowd.
So she wrote down her thoughts and she took them to chapel,
To give the EA community some ideas with which to grapple.
She started with sharing a dream in her mind,
Where she brought back to EA that which had been left behind.
In her dream there was less strictness to school uniform,
And then the students could be whom they were, no need to conform.
And in response all the hallways were filled with intellectual chatter,
Of many opinions colliding, on those things that do matter.
She asked to them all, “When did learning become something to be measured in numbers and prestigious name?
And knowledge something only to be used to procure money and fame?”
What happened to the days of excitement to learn something new
Where passing a test wasn’t the only use of all the things that you knew?
Education is so powerful to help change this world for the better,
Why don’t we learn for that purpose, not to get the right letter?”
The girl quoted Jonah Blank saying, “Anything that can be proven, cannot last.”
And then continued, “It must be debated and challenged until it lives in the past.
The things that will live on from the classrooms and hallways today,
Are not the facts that are discussed but the spirit at play.
So why don’t we make the spirit one that stresses what’s truly important,
Instead of making the values at play here confusing, distorted.
Difference of opinion is immortal and from it grows improvement and change,
So we should encourage all opportunities of opinionated peaceful exchange.
Then in a calm voice she stated loud and quite clear,
“The strongest community is like a colorful rope, do you hear?”
“Each strand of the rope is so different, in so many ways,
And yet there in one clump, each of them stays,
For twisted together, they work for one goal,
To lift up, to unite, to strengthen, to hold.
Together, they’re strong, apart they are weak,
They do as they must to serve, no glory they seek.
But each strand is colored in a unique, individual way.
Just as each of you have something different to say.
Do your part for this world, but be not afraid,
To voice what you feel, stand out, and be brave!”
She said, “When I walk through our hallways, I find myself saddened,
By creative oppression, to the point I am maddened.
Where is the diversity, the freedom of expression?
Our students are scared to explore, stand out and to question.
“Listen, unity isn’t us all acting, thinking, and speaking the same,
But instead embracing our difference with support.” She exclaimed.
So I challenge you all to greet each person with acceptance and love,
And when you look in the mirror, free your eyes of
The stress and self-doubt you feel brought on by expectation
Instead express what you truly feel and follow whatever your passion.
Education is crucial, I’m not saying you shouldn’t work hard,
But make sure your goals and your outlook haven’t been scarred,
By superficial thoughts of what you should care about,
Think for yourself on these matters, and you will find the right route.
And as you spend your life learning, use your knowledge in a positive way,
With compassion and empathy. And understand yourself in a way,
In which you can support yourself, and others around you if they start to fall
And go forth on your path and serve for the good of all.