On Wednesday, August 24, the community of Notre Dame Academy took time out to celebrate the school’s annual Common Reader Day. This school year, the assignment was A Pearl in the Storm by Tori Murden McClure who is best known as the first woman and first American to row solo unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean.
The day began with small group discussions about the book which were followed by a special presentation by the author. The students, faculty and staff at NDA were not only inspired by McClure’s amazing story but also by her insights into humanity. McClure stressed that, “Failure is not a person who falls down, failure is a person who does not get up again.” She told the students, “Get in the habit of doing your homework. Don’t fake your way through life.” She shared many other personal thoughts and beliefs with the audience including, “In order to be successful, you must have tolerance for adversity and comfort with uncertainty.
The day continued with a special presentation by WLWT meteorologist, Randi Rico, and afternoon breakout sessions. The sessions ranged in topics from boat building to protecting human dignity. “It was one of those days where everything came together beautifully,” said NDA Principal, Jack VonHandorf. “We celebrated our school year theme of Embracing Dignity in Self, Others and Community and we lived our mission by educating young women to make a difference in the world. It was a very meaningful intellectual experience for our entire school community.”