From the Upper School Head: Last Lesson

Good morning families, faculty, staff, friends, and of course—our amazing 8th grade graduates.

Today is a big moment. It's a time to celebrate all that you’ve accomplished—projects completed, books read, teams joined, performances given, friendships made. It’s also a time to honor the effort, the growth, and yes, even the mistakes that taught you something along the way.

You are not the same people you were when you joined the upper division. You’ve grown in confidence, curiosity, and character. You’ve learned how to speak up, how to listen, how to lead, and how to bounce back. And now, you stand at a turning point—ready for what comes next.

That reminds me of a scene from Alice in Wonderland:

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.
‘Which road do I take?’ she asked.
‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response.
‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered.
‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.’”

At first, this quote might sound a little confusing, unhelpful, maybe even a little discouraging. If you don’t know where you’re going, how can you choose the right path? But I want to challenge you to look at it another way.

Alice is at a crossroads. Maybe like some of you are now. You’re about to head into high school—a new building, new teachers, new routines, and a whole lot of new decisions. What classes to take? What sports or clubs to join? Which friends to keep close, and which new ones to make?

Some of you already know what you’re passionate about—whether that’s drama or robotics, basketball or writing, music or science. Others of you may feel more like Alice, unsure of exactly where you want to go or who you want to become. Should you try something totally new, or stick with what you know? And you know what? That’s perfectly okay. Because what the Cheshire Cat is really saying is this: when you’re not sure where you're headed, the most important thing is just to begin. Take the next step. Explore. Stay curious. Keep going.

The road you’re on now isn’t about having a five-year plan—it’s about being open to discovery. It’s about trying new things, It’s about making mistakes. You won’t always know exactly where you’re headed. That doesn’t mean you’re lost. It means you’re learning.

And as you explore, as you continue growing into the person you’re becoming, I would like to share my second piece of advice. This is a quote from the legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker:

“You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice.
And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.”

Now you may not be jazz musicians, but every one of you is learning more about yourself. You’re figuring out your strengths, your voice, your passions, your values. In the upper division, you’ve spent time learning how to be a student, how to collaborate, how to solve problems, how to receive and act on feedback. 

You have also been practicing. Testing out ideas, sharpening your skills, and figuring out who you are in different settings—on a team, in a classroom, in a community.

And now? It’s time to trust yourself. To step into the spotlight, stop second-guessing, and just wail. That means: be bold. Take up space. Don’t be afraid to show the world what you’ve got. Be proud of your growth, your voice, your story.

Sometimes, we spend so much time preparing that we forget we’re allowed to take risks. But the magic happens when you stop trying to be perfect and start being authentic. That’s when people will hear you. That’s when you’ll feel the most alive.

And finally, as you move forward, allow me to leave you with my third and final thought. This is something one of my mentor’s shared with me:

“Good days are not easy days.
Easy days are forgotten. Good days change the world.”

This might be the most important thing I say today.

We all love easy days. Days when everything goes smoothly, when there’s no test, when you breeze through your work and everything feels comfortable. But easy days usually don’t stay with us. They pass quickly and quietly.

The days that truly matter—the ones that shape you and you’ll remember decades from now—are the ones that challenge you. The project in class that really challenged you - where you had to meet with your teacher multiple times, where you had to revise and revise again your plans. That one game where regardless of the outcome, you know you and your team dug deep and gave it you all. That difficult, honest conversation you initiated with a friend you had drifted from, clearing the air and rebuilding trust, even though your stomach was in knots. The time you saw someone being treated unfairly, felt that surge of fear, but stepped forward anyway to speak up. The time you volunteered for something challenging, way outside your comfort zone, and discovered strength you didn’t know you had. Those were not easy days. But they were good days.

Why? Because they made you stronger. They showed you what you’re capable of. They helped you grow into the person you are now. And here’s the thing: good days don’t just change you. They change the people around you. They make the community around you better. Your courage inspires someone else. Your perseverance on a group project leads to a solution that helps others. Your voice speaking up for what’s right creates a ripple effect. Every act of kindness, every choice to persevere, every time you decide to try again when it would be easier to give up—that matters. That makes a difference.

So as you step into this next chapter, don’t chase the easiest path. Chase the one that helps you grow. Chase the one that asks something of you. Chase the path that leads to good days—even if they’re not always easy.

Because those are the days that will stay with you. Those are the days that will teach you what you are capable of. Good days stretch you. They ask more of you. They are sometimes messy or even uncomfortable. But they matter. Because they shape the person you’re becoming.

Park Upper Division Head Jimmy Manyuru offered this "Last Lesson" at Park's 136th Graduation on June 13, 2025

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