Board of Trustees

Paige B. Plash - Chairman Ashleigh Cooper Leland - Co-Vice Chairman Frank J. Lott, III - Co-Vice Chairman

Walsh Lott Arendall • Robert C. Baird, III • Joel B. Bullard, III • Cele Cushing Cameron • Angus R. Cooper, III • Kristen Beard DeLaney • Curran D. Foose • Elizabeth Damson Freeman • Mara Bronstein Gipson • Alvin K. Hope, II • Robert M. Hope, Jr. • R. Bradford Israel • Virginia Stimpson Jeffery • Don P. Kelly, Jr. • Abby Grodnick Kennedy • Allen H. Ladd • M. Bancroft McMurphy, III • Brooks P. Milling • Hilton Billingsley Mostellar • P. Bradley Murray • Andrew M. Newton • W. Davis Pilot, III • Benjamin M. Radcliff, Jr. • Michael C. Rogers • Mikell W. Taylor • Sarah Luce Watkins • John F. Weston, Jr.

Dates to Remember

FALL

Middle School Fall Show - October 7-8 Fall Holiday - October 11 Homecoming - October 15 Golf Classic - October 25 Dawgs on the Hunt - November 4 Theatre Guild Fall Show - November 12-14 Thanksgiving Holiday - November 22-26 Chorus and Band Concert - December 9 Project Engage - January 5-14

SPRING

Holiday Break - December 18 - January 4 Classes Resume - January 5 MLK Day (School Holiday) - January 17 Middle School Spring Show - January 28-29 Mardi Gras Break - February 28 - March 4 Theatre Guild Spring Show - March 25-27 Crimson & Grey Day - March 18 Spring Break - April 11-15 Graduation - May 26

2021 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

It is an honor to speak to you on behalf of the UMSWright Board of Trustees on this very special night as we honor and celebrate the members of the UMSWright Class of 2021. We recognize and thank you for your community service, artistic expression, athletic accomplishments, and academic achievements. These successes are even more impressive due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the history of our school, no class has endured more difficult circumstances during their junior and senior years. You will be remembered for the way you successfully met this great challenge.

I am not standing here before only students, parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives, and friends. Nor am I standing before just faculty, staff, board members, stakeholders, and other constituents of UMS-Wright. I am standing with family, the Family of UMS-Wright. The Family of UMS-Wright is one of the things that sets our school apart. It provides us with a sense of community and a feeling of belonging. It provides love, support and security. It helps instill virtues that guide us in our decision-making. Our UMS-Wright family is not perfect, but no family is. We are an outstanding family, and we aspire always to do better. Our family is special. It is open to everyone, and we choose to be together. 5 What brings us together? Most members of our family join because they want the best for their children, the very purpose with which Julius T. Wright established our school in 1893. It is fully expressed in our mission statement:

“For the UMS-Wright family to educate all students to their highest potential in mind, body, and spirit and to produce in each student character of the highest possible order.”

The faculty and staff that join our family do so because their work and professional goals align with our mission. Other stakeholders and constituents choose to be a part of our family because they know the positive impact our mission has on our community, state, region and beyond. We are all brought together because of our mission. We are successful because we strive to be committed to our mission. We seek to be guided in all things by our mission statement.

The successful conclusion of our mission with the Class of 2021 is commemorated with this graduation ceremony. You will continue to be a part of our family, no longer as students but as alumni. Graduation ceremonies are distinctive because they prompt near equal efforts to look both backward and forward in time. As you look back on the Class of 2021, your mind will be filled with many memories some of which will elicit strong emotions.

Class of 2021, as I look forward to the future, I know you will be successful. Success is the accomplishment of an aim or a purpose. There can be many purposes in life. Purpose can be connected to vocation, responsibilities, or relationships with family or friends, spirituality or religious beliefs, serving the community, country or mankind. The most important part is finding your right aim or purpose. Finding your purpose, deciding your mission, working toward that mission with others in a family atmosphere will lead to your success and fulfillment.

You have been educated in mind, body, and spirit. You have character in high order. You have been trained in decision making, and you have values that will help you make the right choices. Class of 2021, continue on your path, always strive for excellence, and know that you will always have a family in UMSWright.