Hawkes to Cum Laude Inductees: Put Skills to Noble Ends

Ours is a \"nation duped into giving rubbish a standing ovation,\" lamented English teacher Robert Hawkes at this year`s Cum Laude induction ceremony. His prayer it seemed was that the 22 newest inductees into Hawken`s Cum Laude Society would play their role in redeeming the time spent greeting \"the mediocre with applause.\" \"My hope for you, my fine and excellent friends, is that you put your skills to noble ends,\" he said. Hawken`s chapter of The Cum Laude Society is open to only juniors and seniors who`ve exemplified not only academic excellence but also personal integrity during their careers at the School. This year`s recent crop of inductees joined 11 other seniors, who earned the distinction last year. The Cum Laude Society, modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, was founded in 1906 and honors the finest scholastic achievement in secondary schools. Today, there are 350 chapters spanning the globe, the majority of which are found in independent schools. This year`s induction ceremony was one that called for only true excellence, dedication and diligence to be rewarded while all else is relegated to the status where it belongs: mediocrity. \"We are often tempted toward the addiction of comfort; however, such a life might not be as wonderful as its seductive siren voices would have us believe,\" Upper School Director Ross Peters said in his closing remarks. \"The messages of our culture, ubiquitously placed before us, teach us to prefer getting a lot rather than giving a lot. We are told we have a right to expect a life without struggle, search, or turmoil... \"Do not buy it, friends, and do not regret that it is not true.\" Congratulations to this year`s inductees: Mona Ascha `08 John Borokhovich `09 Blake Daley `08 Ann Feke `09 Davis Filippell `08 Dylan Herts `09 Stacey Hoffman `08 Brian Huser `09 Ann Jaskiw `08 Jonathan Katzner `09 Alec Lai `09 Fei Ran Lee `08 Andrew Macklis `09 Hannah Miller `08 Samuel Milner `09 Amy Murdoch `08 Melissa Petersilge `08 Jacob Sachs `09 Ari Sunshine `09 Jane Syh `08 Stephanie Terrill `08 Noah Whitehead `09 Click below to listen to Hawkes` and Peters` speeches in their entirety. Robert Hawkes with introduction by Peter Scott Upper School Director Ross Peters