Cover Story
Expectations of a New School
green as us. We now find that the school has also
grown up. Us, seniors, and the school have been in
“Please allow yourself to be led into this com-
munity with your minds and your hearts open
a mutually reinforcing relationship. In a sense, we
have participated in shaping the school.”
to wondrous intellectual adventures, to fulfill-
ing emotional growth, and to outcomes beyond
To keep this momentum vibrant, our seniors have
your dreams. There is always so much more in regularly shared with their younger peers their
each one of us than we think, and we must remain learning and experiences in honest reflection dis-
open-spirited in order to realize our dreams. What cussions, IBDP Core presentations, visual arts
is important is that you have earned a place in our
exhibits, debates, tournaments, and performances.
community through your motivation, hard work, “Before I came to Keystone,” recounted Vincy Nie
and achievements, and through your clear demon- ‘18, “I thought that studying was the most import-
stration that you want to make full use of the
varied opportunities offered to you here.”
ant thing. But after some experience, I began to
reflect and rethink the significance of learning.
It is not only academic achievements that count,
Such were Head of School Malcolm McKenzie’s but also personal growth and enrichment, in all
opening words at Keystone’s first Matriculation its forms.”
ceremony in 2014 that marked the formal induc-
tion of the Class of 2018 into the secondary school
For Alice Zhang‘18, the reality of her immi-
as full members of our learning community. This nent graduation from Keystone and making way
month, after four years of crucial preparation in for the younger generations sank in during the
academics, extra-curricular fields and purposeful recent Keystone campus tour she organized for
community building, we see our first cohort of 47 her younger brother. “I vividly remember being
seniors graduate. in awe with the buildings during my first cam-
pus visit and noticing my grandfather’s book
With the absence of established tradition at this
“The Magic Tree House” on a library shelf here,”
new school came the responsibility for creat- she reminisced. “My younger brother will now join
ing an institutional culture. “From the outset, our Keystone next year. Graduation didn’t feel real
mission statement and five shared values have until I introduced him to Dean of Residential Life
described the culture that we wished to establish. Juli James, who suggested he would now replace
But a community culture is a living and changing me at Keystone. It dawned on me that graduation
thing, like a tree,” Mr. McKenzie emphasized in was imminent and my eyes filled with tears.”
his 2014 Dedication Speech, “and with each pass-
ing year, we are able to describe more accurately Relishing seeing off Keystone’s first graduates,
some of the branches that have grown quite natu- Head of High School Diana Martelly’s hope for
rally from the sapling that we planted.” our seniors is to pursue personal happiness and
success, and assume responsibility to make the
Four years later, Keystone’s mission statement - world a better place. “We often talk about how
with the Chinese Thread at its center and weaving this first graduating class has had an opportu-
this community together – has held our graduates nity to be leaders at our school for several years. I
to high expectations and gifted them with a shared think this will translate into our graduates being
purpose. “Over four years, the school has grown highly engaged in the college communities they
up together with us, the Class of 2018,” reflected will join,” she offered. “At Keystone, we will
Nancy Li ‘18. “Four years ago, Keystone was as never have a first graduating class again, so our
The Keystone Magazine 11