On Tuesday, August 31, students, faculty, and staff on the Merle-Smith Campus came together at Alumni Circle outside of Snyder House for our annual Opening Chapel.

Due to social distancing guidelines in response to the pandemic, Opening Chapel is by campus this year, but we were grateful to be together in person and to enjoy this annual tradition.

After a welcome from campus director Dylan Deal, junior class president Elena Tongg Weiler '23 led the school prayer. The birthday prayer was offered by Dr. Erica D'Agostino '91, Assistant Head of School, before sophomore class president Joey Oltman '24 led us through a responsive reading from the Moravian Book of Worship. School president Olivia Crane '22 offered a reading from 2 Peter 1. 

In his meditation, Head of School Jeff Zemsky contemplated the curvy, unexpected path our education often follows, drawing from his personal experiences:

If you are worried about what the future will bring, if you are anxious about having enough inside you, know that you are the most influential person in your life and you can make any misstep, any failure, into a teachable moment for yourself.

You are the one who influences your success more than anyone else, you are the one whose hands are on the game controller, you are the one who is answering the questions, who am I and who can I become. No else is remotely fit to answer them for you.

Following the benediction from school chaplain, Rev. Jennifer Nichols, students and faculty processed across the lawn, where Mona Ziabari '22 and Jeswill Ewungkem '25 performed the traditional raising of the flag. 

Opening Chapel concluded when Mr. Zemsky's hip hip! was met with hooray! by the crowd in unison. 

We look forward to holding and live streaming Opening Chapel on the Downtown Campus on Wednesday, September 8.