A New Era: Convocation Marks the Start of Concord Academy’s 100th Academic Year

The Concord Academy community - 402 students, in addition to faculty and staff - entered the Chapel on the morning of August 29th for Convocation. This event would bring CA into its second century, which will surely be different than the first. But many of its original values remain, and were mentioned on this momentous day.

Opening remarks came from Henry Fairfax, CA’s 11th Head of School, reminding everyone that even as CA begins its 100th academic year, there will be much more to come, noting that the community is “100 years young.” 

Fairfax was followed by Fay Lampert Shutzer ’65, President of the Board of Trustees. She recalled special memories of her time spent at CA years ago, one of which was meeting her roommates for the first time. Fay spoke about how CA was very different while she was here, with it being an all-girls school and even having a middle school as well, but how it still holds the same meaningful beliefs. She stressed that, both then and now, as individuals and as a whole, “we stand together and support each other.”

Next was a humorous rhyme from Jay Talwar ’23, Student Head of School. He voiced his hope and excitement for the year to come, offering advice learned from his high school experience to the students of each grade. 

The event concluded with thoughtful and compassionate words from Grant Hightower P’26, Convocation speaker of the 2022-23 school year and Interim Dean of Students. He spoke of his path to CA and his view of common trust, an ideal vital to the strength of the community, and how it brought everyone together and ready for the new and thrilling year to come.

As CA celebrates its many traditions that have held up for a century, it is also a chance to continue to grow, develop, and improve, acknowledging how purposeful and transformative this place has been for everyone that has walked around the quad or lived on its campus. Going into a fresh century with a simultaneously storied history and clean slate, there are endless opportunities to make CA’s next 100 years just as impactful as its first.