Hill School Chapel Talks

The traditional "Moving Up" ceremony occurs during the final Chapel of the year. Head of School Kathleen Devany invited the members of the Class of 2025 to “move up (over)” to occupy the Chapel pews reserved for the sixth form class. Assistant Head of School for Community Life and Dean of Students Ari Baum and Rising Sixth Form SGA Co-Presidents Maggie Qi '25 and Hilton Johnson ’25 also offered remarks. 

A Playbook for Hill Students: In my talk, I touch on three things I learned over my time at Hill the past four years; Hill is not transactional, take your role as a role model seriously, and the tears shed at Commencement are tears of joy, not tears of sadness.

Self-love and Body Image: A personal ongoing journey of trying to accept insecurities stemming from societal pressures surrounding body image and self-worth.

The Writers: We are all writers of the stories of our lives. A meditation on the stories you have shared this year and a hopeful wish for the Sixth Form.

Boldly Going Where No (Wo)man Has Gone Before: A reflection on 25 years of coeducation at The Hill and how the bold choices of the students and faculty of the past have made Hill into the community it is today. 

Every day is a gift: Throughout my life, I have experienced key moments which have shifted my perspective on the concept of time. With this, I want everyone to realize that the most precious gift that you are given is, time. We should never take any of our time for granted with those we love. 

Be a Child: How I found happiness through change.

Stand Up For Yourself: The word “no”, according to Google, is the 93rd most commonly used expression in the English language. However, I believe the word should be higher on the 1000-word list. Let me tell you why. 

Excellent Sheep: A reflection upon art, passion, and a prospect for the future. 

Utility: What do you value? How can you enjoy as much as possible while you still can?

Ask for help, grow resilient, build bridges.
 

Resisting the “Box": A reflection on important aspects of my life and how they have taught me to embrace my multiple identities.
 

Life Is Not a Solo Performance: Through my time at Hill, I have lived the phrase “find the good.” Sharing my experience dancing, I have learned that you truly will find the good within the people whom you surround yourself with each and every day.

Changed for the Better: Lessons I learned through connections, music, and perseverance.

Speaking Up: An exploration into the importance of speaking your mind and the fears that cause us not to do so. 

We Are Only Human: We are too often restrained by the past because of the notion that we are only the sum of what we have done. My talk seeks to share my perspectives and experiences on the importance of releasing ourselves and others from the tethers of mistakes and past events.

The Power to be Present: Connecting memories of my late father and my personal experiences at Hill to demonstrate the importance of staying present.

Melanin: How our differences are ultimately irrelevant.

Depression and Mashed Potatoes: A recounting and analysis of my struggles with clinical depression and anxiety, this talk is not about me. I hope to arm listeners with the ability to support those who need it and the empathy required to do so. I explain that depression is a multifaceted illness that affects lives in a myriad of ways so it is prudent that we, as a community, are adaptive in our response to it.

Why do you love? This year's experiences made me realize I only like things I am good at. How do we combat this, how do we challenge ourselves to try new things and not give up just because we don’t feel good enough?