Graland Guiding Principles Impact Graduates

“Upwords” was introduced in 2011 as a way for faculty to share their personal connection to our guiding principles with students. In 2015-16, this concept was expanded to provide eighth graders with the same opportunity. By reflecting on the Graland Guiding Principles, students understand themselves and the important role they play in their class, their school and the greater community. Here are some examples of these speeches.

Embrace Experiences: Matias Alberola reflected on an experience that changed his approach to taking risks and creating memories. In sixth grade, he traveled to Spain for a two-week soccer camp where he learned about Spanish culture, met new friends from around the world, sampled some unusual cuisine and challenged his soccer skills. “Embrace your experiences, and learn from them...I push you to create your own experiences, as they don’t occur by themselves.”

Honor Individuality: Paula Kim is dedicated to our guiding principle Honor Individuality by challenging gender stereotypes. “Girls are pressured too much about their appearance and both boys and girls suffer from double standards daily. I decided to focus on something that I deal with every single day and raise awareness about this issue.”

Inspire Leadership: On a service trip to Tanzania, Zoey Dale saw firsthand how different her life is from other children. She visited a school where children were thrilled to have the chance to learn and they behaved like model students. “These kids were so happy and grateful for what they had. Seeing their school ... inspired me to be more grateful for my fantastic friends, my brilliant teachers, my loving family and my education.”

Guide Critical Thinking: Sophie Goldberg admits she’s grown up in a “cocoon,” but she believes her time at Graland has prepared her for future challenges and experiences. “Through Graland, I have learned to think critically of the world ... It is time for me to shed my protective layer and use my Graland experiences to embrace others.”

Value Tradition: Alexa Goldstein’s family takes an annual summer vacation where she and her sisters participate in community events like Alexa’s favorite, a hula hoop contest. One year, she realized the value of family when seeing her sister as a finalist in the contest made her just as happy as being a finalist herself. “Now, I look forward to the hula hoop contest for a different reason because I can see my sister excelling and having a great time.”

Cultivate Compassion: Brooke Swanson’s special buddy in fourth grade, Keith, was different in a lot of ways, and one of the things that made him unique was his love and talent for basketball. Keith taught Brooke that it doesn’t matter what others think about you, especially when you are enjoying something you are passionate about. “If I am different in some way, I can’t let other people get me down about it. Everyone has differences that make them special.”

Promote Independence: At a summer camp in California, Jacob Storch found himself on a college campus studying the principles of engineering design. Although he was homesick and lonely, Jacob decided to look on the bright side and make an effort to get to know other campers. “I know I will be grateful for this experience when I go to high school.”

Celebrate Perseverance: As a first generation American, Carmen Yohannes understands the meaning of perseverance. Her parents worked all their lives to learn a new language and culture, modeling strong character for their children. “I am so fortunate to have parents that push me every single day to do better and always try my hardest and embrace the opportunities I’m given.”

Build Community: One of Evelyn McSpirit’s first playmates was a child with cerebral palsy who taught her an important lesson that has stayed with her since childhood: People who have differences can still be friends. “Later on, I also found out that this lesson doesn’t just apply to mental or physical disabilities. It can apply to a person’s sexual orientation, gender, race, political stance and so much more. I am so grateful to have met Isaac and for him to have taught me such an important lesson.”

Pursue Excellence: Growing up in a Spanish-speaking home, Marthaly Rubio says, “Being bilingual has caused many obstacles for me throughout my life but it has also made me who I am.” When she first joined Graland in sixth grade, Marthaly struggled to become fluent in English but dedicated herself to learning the language while retaining her Spanish-speaking skills. Today, her goal is to become fluent in four languages by the time she is an adult.

Instill Integrity: Alec Romo-Nichols considers his older brother a role model when it comes to resisting peer pressure after observing him standing up for what is right, even when it was the hard thing to do. “If I ever have a situation in the future where I am being intimidated by peer pressure, I will feel more confident to say no. I learned that doing the right thing will always have greater rewards than consequences.”

Highlights & Annual Report 2017-2018

Graland Guiding Principles Impact Graduates

Graland Country Day School