As I walk down the beautiful tree-lined streets on my way to Westchester Country Day School, I am reminded of one of my favorite poems, “The Road Not Taken,” written by Robert Frost. At the end of the poem it is written: “Two roads diverged in the forest, and I took the one less traveled, and that made all the difference.” Education is the key to navigating that path.
When you arrive at our beautiful Westchester campus, it fills your heart to imagine how many lives are uplifted through education. This school is located in a wonderful rural setting within High Point, but also near the border of many Piedmont His Triad Her communities.
I can't remember the last time I visited Westchester Country Day School, but this was for a very special occasion. It was a celebration of education and the generosity and vision of the High Point family.
My destination on campus was the library. Inside, the building was filled with construction materials and a ladder towered between exposed ceiling pipes. Renovation work had begun. This was the reason for the celebration. It was to dedicate the transformative Qubein Education Center. High Point University President Nido Kubayne and First Lady Mariana Kubayne committed $1 million to transform the traditional media center into a modern learning hub. This includes a robotics lab, a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) center, and other multipurpose areas that foster learning and creative projects.
All of Cubane's children (Ramsey, Deena, Christina, and Michael) attended Westchester Country Day. Several of their grandchildren currently attend this school.
My friend Susan (Andrews) Fagg, Westchester's development director, served as emcee for the event. Susan has a 24-year history with Westchester both as a parent and as a staff member. He most recently directed the school's annual fund and previously held several positions including assistant director of development, special events and parent engagement. I didn't know that.
Qubein's entire family was listening, but most of the kids were, well, toddlers, and the words “quiet time” weren't yet in their vocabulary. Mr. Fagg expressed his gratitude to the visionaries at the Center for Transformative Education. Qubein and his beloved wife Mariana. ” She welcomed the rest of the Qubein family, Ramsey, Deena and her husband Dr. Brad Samuel, Christina and her husband Cole Bachfelder, and Michael and his wife Morgan (Miller). . She wouldn't even name her young grandchildren, calling them “grandchildren.” The Kubein family coordinated in the theme colors of blue and white, the official school colors of Westchester Country Day School Wildcat Nation.
She is joined by Interim Principal Mary Keever, School Board Chairman Tom Van Dessel, Library and Media Director Amy Kaputa, Windley Dunbar (Smith & Dunbar), and Peter Freeman (Freeman Kennett Architects) , introduced Terry Andrews. Director of Technology.
Keever said: The Kubeins have passed on the gifts of loyalty, service, kindness, and academic curiosity to their children. We are grateful that you share these gifts with us and continue to make our Wildcat Nation stronger. ”
Keever then spoke about the traditions of the construction industry: “It comes from Scandinavia, and it represents a transition.” The tradition is to sign construction beams that are placed in strategic locations of new structures. Keever added: “This beam symbolizes the strength of the Qubeins' family ties.”
“Our family is proud to contribute to Westchester, a school that aligns with our belief in the transformative power of education by valuing critical thinking, creativity, and innovation,” said Qubein. These are the skills we value in High Point University students, and we are pleased that Westchester University is also committed to teaching life skills to prepare students for future success. .”
Qubein's commitment to education is not limited to Westchester. Through HPU, he recently invested in public school education with a large grant to upgrade the media center at Oak View Elementary School. Oak View is a school where I have been an influential instructor. That generosity symbolizes the young scholar's faith in the future. I and everyone at Oakview Elementary School are very grateful to Qubein and his HPU. Similar to Westchester's renovated library, Oakview Elementary School's upgraded media center will stimulate creative thinking in the learning process for students. I love all of the students at Oakview Elementary School. Many of them receive a barking “good morning” from Bailey the Yorkie and a friendly wave from their owners when they arrive at school. Her owner dutifully walked her and said, “Bailey loves wearing adorable sweaters.”
The ceremonial HPU check to Oakview was presented during the final men's home basketball game of the regular season. Oakview Principal Benny Bradley and Vice Principal Erin Johnson received a large check as a sign of much gratitude. The High Point Fire Department and United Way of Greater High Point also received checks that night. Additionally, HPU students provide more than 500,000 hours of community service to community organizations each year.
The basketball game was a close one, with HPU winning in overtime. With this game, HPU was crowned the regular season Big South Conference Champion. Coach Alan Hass has had a great first season. I'll talk more about him in a later column.
In Westchester, Van Dessel spoke of the broader impact: “This renovation is strategically important when you look at what's happening in the Carolina Core. People are moving into this area. We're trying to bring in families. High Point and we Projects of this kind are very important because the competitive advantage for schools in 2019 is to provide these opportunities and show that there is choice in education.'' We would like to thank the visionaries in our community, Qubein, for their support. Van Dessel added: Qubein is passionate about supporting us and challenging us to think bigger and be better than we are today. ”
