UPPER SCHOOL

The school prayer, the same prayer we recite every morning, sometimes gets lost in the daily grind as we routinely speak the words. We often take the true meaning behind those words for granted since they are such a traditional part of the beginning of our day, the beginning of our assemblies, and the beginning of so many of our on-campus ceremonies. Our school prayer is a combination of so many integral parts. When we take the time to really study our prayer, we realize and are keenly aware that the words define our school, our students, our staff, and our alumni. Phrases such as “as we search for knowledge and wisdom,” “play the game with honor,” “an example of truth and courage” are ones that set us apart from other institutions. This year’s Arts Hall of Fame assembly recognized Mr. Randy Johnson, UMS-Wright c/o 1994, and he brought to the forefront the fact that maybe the most important phrase in our school prayer is “those who were before us will not be ashamed, and those that follow after…”

The senior Class of 2022 holds a very special place in my heart. They spent their first day of middle school with me as their principal. When they moved up to the high school, I moved with them. I beam with pride at the amazing young men and women they have become and at the character and leadership they displayed for the rest of our student body. This senior class received over $10 million in scholarships and were accepted to 79 schools from coast to coast. We will have UMSWright alumni attending Harvard University, University of Southern California, and the Naval Academy, just to name a few. UMS-Wright alumni, this year’s senior class definitely honors the legacy you left behind and demonstrates a standard of excellence for future classes to follow.

The campus was back in full swing in August with students participating in extracurricular activities all over our campus. The classrooms and halls were buzzing with group activities and projects. Our students completed over 8,000 hours of service for organizations such as St. Jude’s Research Hospital, Mobile Animal Shelter, Camp Grace, Haywood's Hope, Habitat for Humanity, Assisted Living and Nursing Homes, Meals on Wheels, Catholic Social Services, Ronald McDonald House, The Kidney Walk and others too numerous to mention. We had students travel to New York, Boston, Paris, and Disney World for their Project Engage classes; students also chose to study medicine, law, design, aerospace, archaeology, architecture, criminal justice, forestry, sports safety, service, local and surrounding area heritage, physics, and marine biology. Many opted to do Internships with UMS-Wright alums and other local and even out-of-state professionals who graciously welcomed our students. School spirit and long-time traditions were on full display with Crimson & Grey

Day, WOW Assemblies, and pep rallies for our sports teams. I loved watching as our students raced from one activity to support their friends in another. The “spirit of our school” is evident on a daily basis, and the path is set for “those who follow after.”

As we close the book on another amazing year, we send another group of seniors out into the world ready to display what makes UMS-Wright such a special place.