a good student and child’ made some parents
teary eyed.
Dr. Edward Shanahan, President of the School,
added one more standard to what it means
to be and become a good student and child –
listening and speaking. Be “open and aware,”
advised Dr. Shanahan, “you will be surprised
what you hear and what you see. And you will be
the richer for it. Secondly, remember that every
voice matters, no matter how small, matters
more than you might think. So lend your voice
to the voices of others as you shape your life,
and this school, over the coming years.”
In the Coming Years
Using her architecture background, board
chairperson, Mrs. Yang Yanling said, “If there
is no Keystone, the building will collapse. We
decided to use this name for the school as a
symbol of our hopes for our children; that they
become the ‘keystone’ of their own buildings,
and the pillars of societies in which they live.”
The dedication ceremony was also a recognition
of the journey ahead for parents, teachers
and students as they work, ensure and enable
the realization of this hope and aspiration
together. Karl Furstenberg, a member of the
Keystone Board of Advisors and former Dean
of Admissions at Dartmouth College, New
Hampshire, is certain that Keystone’s journey
ahead will be successful, “I have been part of
the Keystone initiative from the beginning, four
years ago, when it was a hole in the ground. Now
I am impressed. It makes me feel warm inside to
see how much the parents and staff care about
Keystone. The school exudes an atmosphere and
energy that will keep it going even in the future.”
And as the Keystone community continues this
exciting journey ahead, the way forward, as
Mr. McKenzie said should “…be inspired and
excited, and not scared. Let us set out together,
with courage and humility, on the adventure of
a lifetime. And let us remember this day with
pride, a proper sense of history, and above all
gratitude.”
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