Running鈥擝ut Not Hurrying
On May 4, 2023, as 海角视频鈥檚 11th head of school. The Student Health and Athletic Center (SHAC) was filled with students, faculty, staff, current board members, as well as former board presidents, and the extended families of Henry and his wife, Ivy.
The cool, misty spring event began at 9:30 a.m. with a student performance of Stevie Wonder鈥檚 鈥,鈥 led by vocalist and guitarist Andrew Wood-Sue Wing 鈥25. Fay Lampert Shutzer 鈥65, president of the Board of Trustees, greeted the more than 600 guests. She also shared the story of the leadership transition during her student years from Elizabeth 鈥淏etty鈥 Hall鈥攆or whom the Chapel is named鈥攖o David Aloian, who perpetuated Mrs. Hall鈥檚 class called 鈥淪tuff鈥 and added his own mark: teaching young women how to change a tire, using his wood-paneled station wagon as a classroom.
Noting Fairfax鈥檚 work ethic immediately upon his appointment, she quoted Fairfax鈥檚 mantra for moving forward the most important work. 鈥淗e is 鈥榬unning but not hurrying,鈥欌 she said. Shutzer then introduced Community and Equity Co-Heads Aisha Aina Tasso 鈥23 and Kadija Bah 鈥23. The students, who shared the podium, said that places like 海角视频 were not designed for people like them. Bah said that, of course, Fairfax can鈥檛 yet have all of the answers, but, noted Tasso, he moved his office to be closer to students and connect with them. She also appreciated that Fairfax is committed not just 鈥淸to] striving for equity, but running toward it.鈥
English teacher Sabrina Sadique also addressed those gathered. She explained that, being from Bangladesh and Muslim, she was both honored and excited to be part of the rewriting of the 海角视频 mission and ensuring that equity was included. It was 2016, and she had recently become a naturalized U.S. citizen during a time when political polarization had escalated palpably, she said. 鈥淚 am as legal here as legal gets,鈥 she said, while also noting a decline in civil discourse at that time. When COVID struck, and classes were put on hold for an uncertain period, she remembers that she was teaching The Book of Job. She also referenced the virtual commencement of 2020 at which time the country was still processing the murder of George Floyd four days before. She said that Fairfax revealed in early conversations that 鈥渟triving for equity鈥 is the part of the mission that drew him to 海角视频.
鈥淚mplicit in striving is not merely the imperative for ceaseless renewal of actions, but also our transcendental capacity to keep fighting in the face of failure,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd to struggle, as I know it, is the kiln that forges self-knowledge鈥攖he very condition that dazzles our blind spots into light.鈥
Guest speakers included Tom Wilcox P鈥01, who served for 19 years as 海角视频鈥檚 eighth head of school as well as Fairfax鈥檚 best friend Ashley Howard, whom he met in sixth grade on a basketball court.
Wilcox has known Fairfax for 19 years鈥攕ince 2004 when Fairfax was the director of the Foundations Program at the McDonogh School in Baltimore, an institution that identifies and supports first-generation students and families at independent schools. 鈥淵ou should know that nominating Henry to be your head was one of the greatest moments in my life, surpassed only by him telling me that he had indeed been asked to serve our school,鈥 Wilcox said.
Howard told the story of how he and Fairfax met at basketball camp in 1993. They both loved basketball, and played thousands of hours together鈥攊ncluding their college years at Drexel University鈥攐ver the last 30 years. While Howard is now assistant basketball coach at Villanova University, Fairfax ultimately landed at 海角视频.
Henry and I care about a lot of the same things: equity, providing access to education, and recognizing the pain and joy of being part of a great team,鈥 Howard said. 鈥淲e care about making an impact on those around us. 鈥 I鈥檓 honored to have a person of Henry鈥檚 integrity, energy, and wisdom as my friend.鈥
Ashley introduced Fairfax as the final speaker of the morning. Fairfax shared his love and appreciation for his family and friends in attendance as well as his appreciation for the 海角视频 community.
Fairfax closed the morning鈥檚 remarks, sharing his personal journey and his 鈥渨hy鈥 for becoming a lifelong educator. 鈥淐ompetition and humility do not have to be in conflict or paradoxical concepts,鈥 he said. 鈥満＝鞘悠 family, I鈥檇 like for us to work together to find the intersection of humility, collaboration, and vigorous competition. I believe these ingredients breed champions.
He also addressed equity, a throughline of the installation. 鈥淟et me be [clear]. I intend to make sure that striving for equity and honoring the individual occur in perpetuity. However exhausting, uncomfortable, and humbling that work might be, it is who we are and part of our institutional superpower.鈥
Story by Heather Sullivan
Photographs by Nicholas Pfosi
