15 minute read
Our Mission
Embracing Authentic Self
A Closer Look into Oldfields Mission
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Why are we here? Difficult times like the past year and a half often cause us to ponder the big, existential questions as individuals and as organizations. When 2020 came pounding on the door, Oldfields School was already in the middle of the strategic planning process. The dual crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social unrest surrounding racial injustice made the answer to the above question all the more crucial. Why does Oldfields exist? Who are we here to serve? How do we best serve them? What is our mission? Has it changed? Boiling down 150+ years of rich history, the experience of thousands of students, and the life's work of hundreds of dedicated educators, into one concise, meaningful, statement is no easy task. Oldfields has meant so many things to so many people. How do we capture the words that appropriately honor our past, remain relevant to the present, and guide our future? Throughout the school year we made progress with several key initiatives, including our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan and our Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS) ten-year accreditation, both of which laid the groundwork for the pending Oldfields Strategic Plan. A revised mission statement was the first priority and a critical cornerstone as we mapped the strategic direction of the School. TRUE TO OUR HISTORY In October of 2020, the Oldfields Mission and Vision Task Force was formed and included as many voices as possible, including key administrators, new and experienced teachers, past and present board members, and, of course, alumni. After many passionate and meaningful discussions, certain core values emerged—common threads that wound through each of our varied experiences. One principle ever present since Anna Austen McCulloch first opened her doors to a "few local children," was the profound commitment to embrace each student for who they are, celebrating their uniqueness even when it might not be the popular or easy path. At that point in time, it might have meant encouraging a girl's interest in science or educating a young woman to prepare for "work outside the home." Other times, it was expressed as the acceptance of female students as athletes, needing and benefiting from physical activity, a practice that caused some families to withdraw their young girls from Oldfields in the1800s. Most importantly, it meant consistently knowing each student and supporting their challenges while developing their strengths. AUTHENTIC SELF IN THE PRESENT The underlying principles may have not changed in our 150+ years, but the outward manifestations of authentic self certainly have. Yesterday’s unpopular, even shocking, decision for a young woman Continued.... “We knew her (Anna Austen McCulloch) to be a rare soul, one who gave a large interpretation to life...She saw; she was not blind to our deficiencies, but she looked beyond them with hope; and we, loving and reverencing her for that hope, strove to overtake it.”
UNNAMED STUDENT CIRCA 1876
FOUNDER OF OLDFIELDS SCHOOL, ANNA AUSTEN MCCULLOCH
These sentiments ring truer than ever, and still guide us as we strive to live our mission by letting each student know, We see you. We will meet you where you are.
We value your uniqueness. We welcome your voice. We embrace the real you.
to pursue a career in the sciences, exercise her mental and physical faculties through atheltics, or strongly share her opinions around the dinner table have been replaced by our current students' quest to speak out boldy on women's rights and racial injustice, to express their non-binary identity, and advocate for a new academic course on global justice. We are proud of the fact that our students make their opinions heard on everything—the classes we offer, the School's social media posts, the speakers we invite to assemblies, dress code change—they are empowered to take ownership of their experience. Regardless of the issues at hand, the heart of embracing a student's authentic self remains creating a safe space to be vulnerable; a kind, caring, and accepting community where everyone can celebrate all facets of themselves; a place to understand your own and each other's intersectional identities; a space that aspires to be the best of what a home should be. This reflects what we believe in, and
have always believed in—the goal is to live it fully each and every day with each and every student.
This is the first step in building confident, purpose-driven individuals. We hear from our alumni, time and time again, that this was indeed the case during their time at Oldfields. The numerous and constant opportunities to connect with trusted adults, from teachers and coaches, to dorm parents and advisors, is the foundation for this process. Actually, every employee at Oldfields plays a significant role, from MK Koehler in the business office who distributes students’ allowance to Webmaster Brian Vinyard who takes and edits our videos and photos—all play multiple roles and build relationships with our students. The circle of trust expands through programs such as May Program, Big Sister/Little Sister ("Bigs and Littles" for short), and dorm competitions that are intentionally designed to foster meaningful friendships. Everything we do is centered around creating the optimal environment for the authentic self to be expressed and evolve.
We openly acknowledge that at times, we have failed to live up to this ideal and fallen short of providing an accepting environment and caring support for all, especially for our BIPOC (Black, Indigenious, People of Color) students and other marginalized communities. If you have been following our communications, you know we are working diligently to right those wrongs and to live up to our mission. On the following pages you will find profiles of four Oldfields students who have found their authentic selves through a variety of pathways.
Authentic Self through Leadership: Jadisha Proano '22
Meet rising senior and newly elected All-School President Jadisha Proaño. Jadisha's family is from Ecuador, but she was born here in the United States. Living on the border of East Orange and Newark, New Jersey, Jadisha comes from a close family with both sets of grandparents at the center. "I live in a small house where you never feel alone." Jadisha's grandmother passed away this past spring due to COVID-19. Since then, Jadisha has found herself in the kitchen with her mother, learning to cook her grandmother's recipes. She knows her grandmother would be proud of her leadership at Oldfields as she serves not only as the head of the student body, but also as a proud representative for Hispanic students. Jadisha shares that she, like many, was a shy ninth grader.
“I started out at Oldfields not really knowing anyone…everyone told me the message that “you are enough.” It should be a given; but it takes a long time to come to the understanding for yourself. I experienced a lot of personal growth this year and would not have been able to do it without friends, teachers, and my advisor. I started looking at myself from other points of view and stopped judging myself so harshly. I’m really happy with who I am and the people around me.”
Jadisha was always a strong voice in support of BIPOC and Latinx communities, but during her junior year, Jadisha took her efforts to a new level and quickly jumped in to help lead the school's efforts to grow in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As a leader of the Student DEI Committee, Jadisha attended this year's National Association of Independent School's virtual Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in early December. During a presentation to the Oldfields community, Jadisha shared her deep appreciation for the affinity group spaces and the tools that SDLC gave her to navigate a pandemic as a young woman within a Latinx family. Her knowledge, compassion, and confidence allowed her to
lead a variety of DEI workshops, most recently presenting on BIPOC contributions to film and theatre in an engaging and educational workshop delivered to the entire student body. When asked about the concept of authentic self and her advice to younger students on how to find it, Jadisha shares, "Be genuine. Be honest with people. Don't try to deceive others or hide your true intentions. It's not always easy. It may take a long time to find it (your authentic self), but when you do, it's really nice to have people just accept you for you."
Authentic Self Through Exploration: Jooyeon "Juniper" Moon '22
Juniper came to Oldfields as a ninth grader from Busan, South Korea. As a little girl growing up in South Korea, Juniper knew education was highly valued in her culture. Her family selected an academically strong elementary school, but her middle school experience did not live up to expectations and actually deterred Juniper from even attending school. Her parents decided Oldfields was the answer. Juniper's confidence was shaken, she was nervous about the language barrier, and she was less than thrilled when she found out there was a requirement to play competitive sports at Oldfields. Everything was brand new and intimidating, but Juniper had a positive attitude and was determined to embrace everything Oldfields had to offer from day one.
Juniper also experienced a common misconception early on with members of the community assuming she was Chinese and/or the sister of an existing student. Fortunately, she felt comfortable telling two older students with whom she had become friends, and they made sure to correct everyone. After that, Juniper said she knew had found her place at Oldfields. Her group of trusted friends steadily grew, and a strong friendship formed with day student, Ella Herring '22. Juniper often stays at the Herring's home during breaks when she can not travel back to Korea.
Juniper continued to lean into each and every activity. Despite her trepidation over sports, Juniper tried tennis, basketball, lacrosse, and track and field. She is involved in the Student DEI Committee, Asian Culture Club, Model United Nations, National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), Student Council, and is an Admission Ambassador. After doing a stellar job as White Team Spirit (at times, from thousands of miles away) she was chosen as the White Team Captain for the 2021-2022 school year. "I am most proud of being selected as a member of the National Honor Society. When I first came to Oldfields, I needed help with academics and the NHS tutors gave me great support. So, since my freshman year, I made it a goal to become a member and help others in the same way!" Her family is also happy with the experience Juniper is having. Her mother shares,
"오래된 역사만큼 선생님들의 사랑이 깊고, 넓고 뜻하지 않은 위치 같이 여학생들은 풍부한 감성과 다양한 매력이 있다”
English translation: "The teacher's love is as deep as the old history and as wide and unforeseen as the place, with girls who have a rich sensibility and various fascinations."
Authentic Self Through Relationships: Madeline "Maddy" Krupp '21
DJ Jones, a recent graduate who is heading to Howard University this fall, came to Oldfields as a legacy student. Their sisters, Daejarie Jones '20 and Trustee Dominique Mejia '04, were both very involved in the Oldfields community leaving DJ with big shoes to fill. However, DJ had no intention of following a predetermined course, and it was obvious from day one that this brilliant and energetic student would blaze their own trail. DJ got involved early in their Oldfields career and encouraged other underclass students to do the same. “You do not have to be a senior in order to step up and lead. Honestly, your voice can be heard as soon as you arrive. Speaking up may be intimidating at first, but your voice is very important within our community. Your voice matters, and our faculty and staff really help you to find it during your time here. Your voice can contribute to the community in a lot of ways, such as bringing awareness to issues, engaging in a club you feel passionate about, or even just brainstorming ideas surrounding events and topics that would benefit the community.”
DJ certainly followed their own advice. A gifted athlete from the start, DJ participated in three competitive sports every year. They consistently demonstrated exceptional work ethic, sportsmanship, and team spirit which earned them the 2021 Nimick Athletic Award. DJ was co-leader of Black Alliance Club (BAC), member of the Student DEI Committee, a talented student-athlete, a member of Gay Straight Alliance, and an Admission Ambassador. Through BAC, DJ worked to spread awareness and encourage action within the student body, faculty, and staff, recognizing that allyship and alliance are not enough when our country is faced with so many injustices within the Black community. "I want all students here to have a trusted adult for support and encouragement."
Maddy's Oldfields journey began one might say begrudgingly. Struggling to find her footing at her large public high school in Vermont, having difficulty getting along with her family, and on the precipice of making mistakes that could be life-altering— her cousin, Dean of Students Claire Guidera, presented a potential solution—come to Oldfields. In the middle of her junior year, Maddy enrolled as an Oldfields student. In Maddy's Senior Presentation, she shared her 18-month journey from a reluctant, rebellious, and lost teenager to the confident, grounded, and respected All-School President that stood before us bravely sharing her authentic self. The speech began, "My name is Madeline Rose Krupp. This label pertains specifically to myself; no one else can claim it as their own. A name entails self-discovery. How will my identity be defined? At times, the only thing that seems to make sense to me is the fact that my name is attached to my body and my body is attached to my soul. How will I be unique beyond the naked eye of physical characteristics? I seem to be in a constant cycle of losing sight of what is in front of me. Rhetorical questions scramble through my mind, trying to find a place to rest. But there seems to be a continual struggle to be content. These questions arise often, bringing me into a state of confusion: Who am I? Who have I been? Who do I want to be in the future?"
The vulnerability present in Maddy's speech left us breathless as she described her early days.
“Embraced with tears. I was disgusted with who I was. Someone help me. Someone listen to me. Oldfields, close your arms. I don’t want your grasp. Okay, fine. This school… knocked me down and swept me off my feet...but I think I was okay with it. This kick saved me, and what scares me the most is that I don’t know what state of pandemonium I would be in today if I wasn’t here. Oldfields, I still hold a grudge against you for knowing what I needed better than I did.”
Maddy's name and her smiling, confident image adorn the pages of the Awards section of this magazine; First Honors for her grades and winner of the Elizabeth Leeds Memorial Award, just to name a few. She became a dedicated leader in and out of the classroom. Her strong connection with underclass students helped guide and lead them through one of the most difficult school years anyone could imagine. While Maddy developed exceptional relationships with many trusted adults at Oldfields, her advisor Dr. Jeremy Jernigan, Assistant Head of School Caroline Blaum, and the entire Perfield family, she credits her first friend at Oldfields, Claire Chao '20, with setting her on the right path of self-discovery. "I think she was the first person I ever truly let see beyond the fence that encompassed my being. A thank you to her is an understatement, but it's a start that I will hold onto forever." Maddy's closing words from her Senior Presentation perfectly demonstrate what we hope, dream, and work towards for every student, "Courage, Humility, and Largeness of Heart. Values I will hold onto for the rest of my life. Joining them is integrity, respect, confidence, kindness, and self-appreciation. These values were taught to me over the past 18 months in this community. Never in my life did I anticipate leaving a school with over 1,000 students in the middle of my junior year to finish my high school experience in the middle of rolling hills in Maryland at an all-girls school with 100 students. I don't think anything in life is ever expected, but that's what makes it interesting. My path is not the same as yours, and that's the way it should be. "To all of you here, thank you for repairing my heart. You gave me this purpose: to thrive every single day, no matter the pain I feel inside, and confront challenges head on. You mean the world to me.
"So here lies the final question: Where will I go from here? The answer: anywhere but nowhere, taking everything one day at a time and never forgetting where I came from. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, moving forward with everything I can.
At a time when so many outside influences attempt to define who a teenager should be, Oldfields will continue to provide a space as free as possible from that pressure—where students can focus on discovering and pursuing their passions, not burdened by who they are "supposed" to be. The power of embracing the authentic self is timeless. The result is a deep-rooted sense of belonging that makes our community a family, our campus a home, and our students prepared for a life of profound and rewarding purpose.
