2021 Summer Bridge

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SEVERN NEW S FROM CAMP U S

EMBRACE CHANGE On March 13, 2020, the predictability of life which we came to expect fell away, leaving many anxious and upset, if not angry. As the pandemic persisted and uncertainty intensified through the fall, it gave rise to the question "When will this ever end?" The truth of the matter is that as much as we want to control the future, uncertainty is inevitable at all times in life, not just during a pandemic. In her most recent book, Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future, entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan writes, “The future is unknowable... [and] despite our best attempts to predict the future, it's futile...This leaves us uncomfortable and anxious and is why humans have always searched for ways to see what's coming: oracles, shamans, horoscopes.” Throughout history, we have sought to quell our anxiety through fortune-tellers of one type or another. Today's version might be the most cynical, and we are all too quick to turn our decision-making, our agency, over to this false prophet. The false prophet? Artificial intelligence and the supposed predictive power of data. Every industry today is working feverishly to harvest as much data as it can in order to predict everything from what we might want to buy, listen to and eat, to who we might want to date or where we might want to vacation. The underlying belief is that with enough data, the future is predictable, and therefore, uncertainty can be mastered. Are there times when Netflix or Amazon makes a suggestion that is spot on? Sure. But the idea that humans are just an aggregation of data and, with enough of it, life can be predicted and mastered is fundamentally wrong. Being human is so much more than surrendering to an algorithm. We as humans are nourished by being together, by person-to-person conversations, by having the ability to exercise agency and make our own decisions. A life worth living surrenders to things that take time, to the ambiguity of life, and embraces change. Last August, the Class of '21 and other student leaders chose "Embrace Change" as their adaptive challenge for the year. This human-centered theme, based on flexibility, empathy, and compassion, guided our interactions throughout the year. With our students leading the way, Severn thrived in what historians will come to document as

one of the most trying years in modern history. By embracing change, the Class of '21 enhanced their ability to solve problems creatively, to work adeptly in teams, to think carefully about the issues of the day, and to take an active interest in the affairs of this community and of communities at large. And by continuing to embrace change, they will emerge from the pandemic resilient enough, agile enough, and persistent enough to overcome whatever new challenges come their way. In the process of developing these agile skills and competencies, the Class of '21 has kindled a new mindset through which to view the future — a trust mindset. Trust is the means by which someone establishes confidence in something. In fact, the Latin root for confidence is to “have full trust.” At a time when the world is overly anxious, trust provides a way forward. Graduates, as you navigate the complexity of the world today, continue to trust in the power of presence, and the importance of being with each other. Continue to trust in the foundation you've forged during your time at Severn for it will allow you to be comfortable with ambiguity and patient with the important things in life that take time. Trust in your agency to act on your ideas without being asked, which is the key to having a life worth living. Make your own future. The number 21 symbolizes success and triumph. And this year, Severn's Class of 2021, you have certainly demonstrated that to be true. You have shown grit, patience, flexibility, and character beyond your years. You have inspired and led in all ways. You've embraced change for us here at Severn, and for that, I'm grateful. As you go forth, help other communities embrace change as well, for we do not educate to maintain the world as it is but to expand the trust and beauty in it.

Doug Lagarde, Head of School

To accommodate the Severn community, Severn livestreamed and recorded the 2021 Commencement ceremony. Watch the recording on YouTube: BIT.LY/2021SEVERNGRAD

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THE BRIDGE


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