Happy Birthday!

At SMPA, every student and all teachers and staff members make Birthday Speeches. Birthday Speeches offer reflections on where you were a year ago, where you are today, where you see yourself in the future, who has inspired you, who you want to thank, and include a message you would like to share with the school or world. The speeches are presented before the whole school during Morning Gatherings.

These speeches do more than help our students learn to write speeches and become comfortable speaking to a group. They provide regular opportunities to see adults model reflective thinking and public speaking. They offer a wonderful means for us to learn about each other and grow stronger as a school community. And they give us a special opportunity to celebrate each other!This is a recent Birthday Speech by one of our 8^th grade students:

“Good morning, my name is Malki and today is my birthday. I am now thirteen years old. Typically for my birthday, I celebrate with my immediate family because I don’t like making a big deal out of my birthday. I am different from how I was a year ago because I am taller, I’ve gotten better at playing the trumpet, and I have realized that life requires a lot more hard work. This year I have also learned new math principles and how to read Shakespeare. One challenge I’ve overcome this year is Pathfinder because I had extra homework and I spent my summer doing additional work. If I could go back in time to a year ago, I would tell myself that eighth grade is easier than seventh grade.

Being part of the SMPA community makes me feel confident because it is a family-school and it helps us get prepared for high school and college. My favorite experiences at SMPA are the all-school trips because we get to do things that we have never done before. My parents have helped me get to where I am today because they encourage me to move forward. My brother has also helped me by always making me laugh. I would like to thank the Class of 2027 for always being there for each other.

My hopes for this next year are to get good grades, to get into a good high school, and to start playing soccer for my high school’s team. I also hope my class continues to stay together even after we graduate. In the future, I see myself as a veterinarian and traveling the world and seeing all seven continents.

My message to the SMPA community and the world is, “Never stop trying because after all of the hard work comes the payment.”

-Malki, Class of 2027