Opening Academic Chapel celebrates the new academic year
Opening Academic Chapel 2018
The Upper School at Rabun Gap Nacoochee School celebrated their 116th academic year in Opening Academic Chapel on August 30.
Chapel opened up with the Procession of Cross and Flags, which included the flags of the 49 countries represented in Rabun Gap’s diverse student body. Dr. Anthony Sgro welcomed the gathered students and faculty with a Call to Worship. After everyone sang the school hymn God’s Keeping and listened to Honor Council Chair Anja Racie ‘19 read Hebrews 13:2, Dr. Sgro introduced the guest speaker, Ms. Miao Wang.
Ms. Wang is a New York-based award-winning filmmaker and print and web designer. Born in Beijing, China just after the Cultural Revolution, she grew up with the last remnants of premodernized Communist China. She immigrated to the United States in 1990. Ms. Wang directed the film “Maineland”, a documentary that follows the lives of two international students at a boarding school in Maine.
The Upper School students watched Maineland this past Saturday during Community Day. Ms. Wang’s work was fresh in their minds as they listened to her speak about her own experience as a young Chinese girl immigrating to the United States, recounting the trials and triumphs she experienced throughout her life. Her story is one of determination and persistence, of trial and error, and ultimately the success she has found in learning and growing through them.
When Ms. Wang had finished her address, Mikolaj Stankiewicz ‘19 led the students and faculty in the Community Covenant Vows and Ms. Erika Farr, Head of Upper School, led everyone in a Prayer of Blessing.
Rev. Dr. Jeff Reynolds, Chaplain and Chair of Religious Studies, closed out the Chapel service with a Benediction and led the Recessional Hymn "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee". With the joyful hymn, the students and faculty stepped into the new academic year 2018-2019 with a renewed sense of purpose and community.
To see more pictures from Academic Chapel, click here.
To learn more about Ms. Miao Wang and her film "Maineland", click here.
To see more pictures from Academic Chapel, click here.
To learn more about Ms. Miao Wang and her film "Maineland", click here.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
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Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.
