Academics
Academic Divisions (JK-12)
Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Convocation 2020 Brings New Spin to School Tradition

The event received a makeover to accommodate community safety while keeping its traditional spirit.
Convocation is an opportunity to start the year on a new note. In recent years it has typically included remarks from each of the division directors, a speech by the Alumni Achievement Award winner, and memorable choral and musical arrangements, all tied together by the schoolwide theme. This year, aside from changes to the number of people in attendance and a few more videos, was no different.

The ceremony began with a picture gallery of this year's JK/K-senior buddy pairings, the largest such group in Steward's history. Seniors meet their JK/K buddies at the start of the school year and check in with them periodically, sometimes even after they graduate. View the full gallery on Steward Snaps.

Brothers Chase '23, Spencer '25, and Mason Wingfield '31 led the Pledge of Allegiance, after which Head of School Dan Frank addressed the audience. He shared four questions that Lower School teacher Lisa Moore asks all of her second-grade students at the beginning of each school year:

  • What do you hope will happen?
  • What do you dream of learning?
  • What do you hope you will achieve?
  • What do you dream you will become?

Mr. Frank noted this year's answers were noticeably different than in years previous. Among them:

  • "I hope that racism ends."
  • "I hope that the virus will stop."
  • "I hope that things will be normal."
  • "I hope that we can have a normal Christmas."

What struck Mr. Frank about these answers is that they don't reveal a desire for status symbols or personal gain. Instead, they represent hopes and dreams that benefit everyone. He used these examples as a way to highlight not what's missing from "the new normal," but what we've managed to hold onto throughout it.

"I hope that we hold onto our love of school and each other," Mr. Frank said. "I hope that we will learn more about ourselves and about others so we can take good care of them and make them feel safe, included, and respected. I hope we stay together all year as a community. I dream that each of us will give everyone else the grace and love that have been given to us to get where we are, together, today."

Laura Weisiger '02, alumni board president, spoke next about Steward's Alumni Achievement Award, an honor "to recognize an outstanding alumnus who, by virtue of his or her inspiration, engagement, and care, has had a transformative effect in the community, within a chosen profession, and on families," she said. "This year’s award recipient has taken the lessons he learned as a Steward student and has used them to make a significant impact in his community."

The 2020 Alumni Achievement Award winner — John Knorr '89 — waited offstage while Middle School history teacher Catesby Jones introduced him, listing a few of Mr. Knorr's accomplishments from his time at Steward, which included playing on the varsity soccer team for three years, serving as president of the Student Council Association, and winning the Headmaster's Award.

"He was very good at getting teachers off the subject," Mr. Jones joked. "He had that infectious smile and a personality that radiated to everybody." 

After graduating from Steward in 1989, Mr. Knorr earned a degree in political science from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland, and planned on attending law school. However, it was a connection he made during his ninth-grade alternate program experience (aka Minimester) that set him on a different path.

"Not only was this the biggest impact during my high school years," he said, "but it would also be the biggest impact on my life."

As a freshman, Mr. Knorr worked with Steve Phillips, president of Phillips Foods, Inc. and Seafood Restaurants. Mr. Knorr praised his former mentor's energy and passion for innovation. "His excitement for new ideas was contagious," Mr. Knorr said. "When he asked me to come work for his company, I was convinced I wanted to be a part of these new ideas."

He joined the company in 1993 and held several different positions throughout the restaurant division before becoming chief operating officer in 2001. The company has since grown from one of the nation's leading restaurant companies into a global food group and the world's largest crab meat processor.

"It’s really a rewarding feeling to be a part of this type of success," Mr. Knorr said, describing his 27-year career with Phillips Foods.

Mr. Knorr and his brother later acquired the Red Roost, a 400-seat crabhouse in Maryland.. Today, he is co-founder and co-owner of Southern Boys Concepts, a collection of seven eclectic restaurants, and Evolution Craft Brewing Company, which distributes beer throughout the East Coast and Japan. In 2007, Mr. Knorr was honored by the Restaurant Association of Maryland with the prestigious Schellhase Award, recognizing an individual of outstanding character who has made numerous contributions to the association, industry, and community. 

He attributed his success in the food industry in part to his ninth-grade internship. But, more importantly, he reinforced the importance of connections he made while at Steward.

"School is a place where many children and young adults with different opinions, different backgrounds, and different hobbies come together to learn," he said. "I think you will find that you will not only learn from your teachers, but you will also learn so much from each other."

Following Mr. Knorr's remarks, the Upper School ensemble performed a special presentation of Steward's alma mater. Director of the Upper School Adam Seldis took time to recognize the Class of 2021 with a photo slideshow featuring seniors from the year each student joined The Steward School, spanning kindergarten to 11th grade.

Ingrid Moore, director of the Lower School, followed with a few thoughts on the schoolwide theme of "wonder."

"As a school community, we hope to promote curiosity to the highest degree possible," she said. "We believe that asking questions and seeking knowledge about things that are interesting to you are among the most exciting and important things you can do as a student and a person."

She connected a baby's fascination with every new object to how the Lower School provides infinite sources of wonder — new ideas, new activities, and new roles within a community.

"Whether your wonder reveals you to be a reader, author, mathematician, performer, kind friend, or all of the above, taking the time to be curious and learn about yourself is the perfect place to start," she concluded.

Director of the Middle School Susan Atkinson echoed Mrs. Moore's sentiments, exploring how wonder serves both a role in personal development as well one that allows us to include others.

"As you look around, you will see that everyone is different. We come from different backgrounds, we have enjoyed different experiences, and we each bring something unique to the school community," Mrs. Atkinson said. "As we follow this year’s theme of 'wonder,' I want you to think of what you can learn from those varied perspectives, what you can contribute to the community-at-large, how you can most effectively communicate with your peers, and how you can use your curiosity to expand your horizons and the horizons of those around you."

Following Mrs. Atkinson, Dr. Seldis returned to the mainstage for a brief meditation on how curiosity can help us connect in the face of division.

"We are all fortunate to be in a school community which is full of people who are creative, dedicated, and selfless," Dr. Seldis said. "Yet there is so much of the world and society around us about which we all need to be better at understanding. It is incumbent on us all as dedicated and active citizens to ask the right questions so we can better grasp the complexity of the world around us so we can seek to change it for the better."

Steward's percussion trio offered a rendition of Paul Curnow's "Stonewood Fanfare and Processional March" as Convocation 2020 came to a close. To watch a full recording of Convocation 2020, head over to Steward's YouTube channel and relive this unique yet familiar experience.
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