Ms. Lemon’s Parting Words of Wisdom

Ms. Lemon, the opportunity which calls you away is most well-deserved and, for this, we also celebrate with you. Your departure here leaves a void that the Harpeth Hall community will feel immediately, and for years to come. Among other things, we will miss your exuberant smile while walking down Bullard

Corridor, your consistently positive attitude, your contagious uplifting spirit, and more personally, your big hugs. The Class of ’22 and I thank you for all that you have taught us as you led by example. There truly aren’t enough words to fully express how much you mean to each of us, but please leave here knowing that your impact on the student body and the

Harpeth Hall community is profound and enduring.

Ms. Lemon’s Parting WordsofWisdom

In August 2005, a bright young teacher began her career in education at Harpeth Hall. She quickly earned the admiration of students and colleagues through her natural rapport and inspiration in the classroom, and the school community took notice of her hard work and engagement outside of the classroom. After teaching for over a decade, she became chair of the English department before being named director of the Upper School in 2017. Armistead Lemon has been a force for good and a bright light at Harpeth Hall. It is no surprise then, that her alma mater, North Cross School, in her hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, chose her as its new Head of School. She will join her new school this fall.

“Though it is hard to say goodbye,” Head of School Jess Hill said, “there is much to celebrate for Ms. Lemon and for Harpeth Hall. Our school focuses on developing strong leaders, and Ms. Lemon will become the first female Head of School at North Cross. She will bring to them the fresh energy, insight, and vision she has shared with us, and she will set the path for more female leaders to follow — just as we do at Harpeth Hall.” Ms. Lemon has always been a role model for our students. She is authentic, thoughtful, approachable, smart, and never afraid to roll up her sleeves and work alongside students, teachers, families, and administrators. She is quick to solve a problem at hand or to focus on the long view of making our school greater, better, and more beautiful for the next generation. As Ms. Lemon addressed the senior class at the 2022 Almost Alumnae Luncheon, she left a special piece of herself with everyone there. “It occurs to me that you and I are in similar situations this spring,” she said. “We are heading off on a new adventure, to new communities who don’t yet know us, and we will — each of us — undertake the work of discovering a new place and creating community within it. Short of finding a way to bottle up the bright spirit you’ve created this year to send along with you, I’ve tried to think about advice to give you, and in turn, to give myself. So here we go — Lemon’s Words of Wisdom, and just know I will be living these out in Roanoke, Virginia, so they had better be good!” Here are words to live by, courtesy of a beautiful goodbye from Ms. Lemon to Harpeth Hall. Be patient with your life, if you can. “In my experience, it takes three years to feel really at home in a new place. Don’t foreclose or pick up and move too soon, even when it is tempting. Instead, find a cozy corner in the library, a good coffee shop, and a way to give back to your community when you feel siloed or stuck in your own head. Be curious about your future with the patience to understand that you can't see or predict all that lies ahead.”

— Hannah Ericson ’22, closing reflections at Graduation Embrace the bumps, the struggles, the outright failures. “No avoiding them, and the good news is that we know that experiencing struggle and failure ultimately helps us to build confidence. This is coming from someone who earned a D on her first college English essay and who went on to pursue a graduate degree in English. That D made me better.” Be yourself. “Don’t make yourself smaller, quieter, less visible. Seek out situations and people who allow you to be expansive. … You are exceptional — be fully and unapologetically you. I hope that is what you have learned to do at Harpeth Hall.”