Every Friday the Waldorf School of Garden City High School gathers in the student room for the weekly Student Assembly that consists of (1) an extended speech by a senior on a topic of particular interest to them, and (2) the recitation of a poem, (either existing or original) by a junior. The Senior Speeches and Junior Poems are a rite of passage for Waldorf students and are a required part of the high school curriculum.

Friday, March 24 2017

Senior Speeches

Last Friday, Changhee Kim, spoke to the High School about his experiences coming to the Waldorf School from his home in Korea. In his speech, Changhee explained how excited he was when he first heard he had the opportunity to study in the United States. He recounted how, despite the language and cultural barriers, he felt welcome and at home from his first visit to the school. Changee worked very hard to master the English language, even going as far as practicing 200-300 vocabulary words a night based on things he heard his friends say in conversation. He concluded his talk by presenting a video montage of his life since coming to the U.S. We wish Changhee good luck in his future endeavors.

Next up was Jonathan Segure, who dazzled the audience with his display of Martial Arts.  Jonathan has been studying martial arts since the age of 6, and has no regrets. He listed martial arts film stars, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and Jet Li as having had a particular impact on him. Jonathan is currently a brown belt but expects to attain his black belt by the end of the month. He closed his speech by performing some of his self-defense techniques on a fellow student. We wish Jonathan well on his next adventure.

Finally, Trevor Beale closed out the morning with his speech entitled “Life as a Tall Person.” Measuring in at a lofty 6 ft 6in, Trevor has learned there there are many pros and cons to being tall. Trevor explained how being it helps one stand out in a crowd, is great for playing with small children who enjoy being carried high, and it means that one’s view is never obstructed. However being tall also means constantly hitting one’s head on things, and always being asked to reach for high objects. Trevor also jokingly claims that his height stems from his love of milk, which he humorously demonstrated on stage. Trevor plans to study cyber security in college. We wish him the best as he continues onward (and upward!).

Junior Poem

Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star – By John Donne – Recited by Beatrice Steuer