At Landon’s opening day Convocation ceremony, Student Body President Simon Schwartz ’25 and Head of School Jim Neill delivered speeches centered on community and how to make the most of the upcoming year. Below are the lightly edited transcripts of their remarks.

Simon Schwartz ’25, Student Body President 

Good morning, Landon!  

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at the greatest school in Maryland. After so many years of watching the presidents before me speak, it is truly an honor for me to be standing here today.  

I love this school, and I love every. Single. one of you. Landon is much more than just a place to learn; it's a second home. And in this home, we’re more than just classmates—we’re brothers. We lift each other up, believe in one another, and make sure no one ever feels alone. By being a family, we can accomplish, struggle, and grow together.  

Growing up as a middle child, I always looked up to my older brother, and as an older brother I feel responsible for my younger brother – I’m talking about you, Gray. I hope this dynamic applies to all of you as you grow through the years at Landon.  

This year I hope to see some great changes. I want everyone to show up. Whether it's a theater performance, athletic game, or whatever it may be, I want them sold out and packed. Lower schoolers, I want you there. Middle schoolers, I want you there. Upper schoolers, you better be there. And teachers, I want you there.  

Mr. Brady (Athletic Director) told us this year that he wants us to win the Founder’s Cup, which is given to the school that does the best overall across all sports in the IAC. The energy all of us can bring is what will get us this cup, so step out of your comfort zone and have an impact on your peers.  

This year is going to be exciting; I want this to be the hardest working and most fun school year Landon has ever had. With more all-school events, more Upper, Middle, and Lower school interactions, much like the ones we had this morning at drop off, I hope to see new friendships and bonds form regardless of age. It is time to try new experiences.  

For the past seven years, Landon has shaped me into the man I am today, and I am forever grateful to this amazing school. I hope that this year will bring more love and pride for everyone, and I hope that by the end of this year everyone will be comfortable with each other and form friendships they never thought they would have. To finish my speech, I would like everyone to put their arms around each other. 

This year’s motto is “For My Brother”, a motto that falls in line with exactly what I and the school aim to accomplish this year. Everything you do this year is for your brother and should aim to make a positive impact on them and your school.  

Please shout the words “For My Brother” at the end of each one of these statements. 

Working hard in class and trying my best is... “for my brother!” Working hard on the sports field to make good plays is... “for my brother!” 

Helping out a classmate when he needs extra help is.... “for my brother!” 

Helping to keep your friends in line with our Honor and Civility code is... “for my brother!” 

And showing support for every theatrical, athletic, or other event is... “for my brother!” 

Let’s make this year a memorable one, where we as a community can change and spread the great spirit of our school across our area. Thank you so much and remember that everything you do from here on out is...  for my brother! 

Jim Neill, Head of School   

Today as we launch a new year it is important to name what we are here to do.  We are here for you boys to grow and learn and develop into full-hearted and broad-minded young men, and for us adults to help structure this experience comprised of growth- spurring challenges and to support you along the way.  We are here to create a community – a place where we respect each person as an individual and as a fellow Bear. We are here to help you boys become the moral, thoughtful, and courageous leaders our world so desperately needs.  This is our purpose. 

Now, to do all of this, we will rely on you Bears giving your best and full selves, on your ability to think, on your energy, on your willingness to live out ethical values, on your dedication to this school.  This journey is a challenging one, but because of that, it is also a meaningful one.  We do not serve you well by setting low standards and asking little of you.  We ask you to strive for character and all-around excellence, and these things by definition require commitment.   

And it is with this in mind that I want to share a comment I heard a few weeks ago in an interview with well-known journalist, speaker, and contemporary sociologist Malcolm Gladwell.  He’s a very accomplished and interesting guy who reexamines in original ways commonly accepted thinking about issues of all sorts.  

At the end of this interview, when asked what about him might people be surprised to learn, he uncharacteristically stumbled on his words a bit, paused, and then gave an answer that struck me as profound.  He said: “I think a lot about work and effort and how important effort is to me in my own life and my estimation of others.  And what I see from myself and the people around me is some level of commitment.  And as I get older, what I’m less and less tolerant of idleness – and I mean that in a very, very specific way.  And that is that you have to care about something – and it doesn’t matter what that is – but you have to care about something.  And you have to make a sacrifice in pursuit of that thing you care about.  You have to try.  Again, I don’t care what it is, but I want people to find something that they apply themselves to.  Because I don’t think we were put here to just twiddle our thumbs.” 

I just loved this comment.  It stuck with me as it clearly came from his heart.  I share it this morning as I think it speaks well to how we might approach this year, which can be summarized in two simple statements. 

First: work hard.  Don’t be, to use his sort of old-fashioned term, idle or, as we might say, lazy.  Make something of the gifts you have been given.  Pursue the things that interest you, and don’t blow off the things that you need to attend to but don’t want to.  Be disciplined and live into your responsibilities and abilities: -- show self-respect, courage, and perseverance in how you approach your work. 

And the second, also echoing Gladwell, is, very simply, care.  Care.  Care about this place.  Care about all the work you are doing here, about your passions.  Don’t be indifferent.  Care about yourselves and one another and your families and your communities.  Care about how others are being treated.  Show kindness and include other people.  Be good to one another.  Care about character and virtue and honor and respect.  Care about the bigger world and how you might make it better.   

Two simple things: Work Hard. Care.  Three words with the ability to make the year ahead a richly meaningful one. 

And the Seniors have given us a powerful and lyrically selfless reason why we should work hard and care.  Namely, do it for everyone around you.  Do it for your brother.  For you can truthfully say to yourself, if I work hard, I elevate this place and its mission and its people and its teams – so it ends up being for my brother.  And when I care, I better not only myself, but every aspect of this community and school – so again it is for my brother.  When I embrace the core values of Landon, I not only attend to my character, but I improve the people I come into contact with and their lives – this too is then done for my brother.  Or when I keep my cell phone away and I look up and out instead of down at a screen, or when I steer away from the mean- spirited talk that is so much a part of social media and the public forum, I make Landon a more connected and human community where standards are easier for others to live by – again, I do it for my brother.  In these and so many other ways, it’s a wonderful why that helps us live out our purpose.

In closing, allow me to remind you that we all have great good fortune in being able to spend our days as part of this wonderful school.  So I urge you to recognize that.  You have an obligation to live into the privilege you have of being here.  Don’t take it for granted.  So engage in the life of the school.  Show up.  Be involved.  Work hard.  Care.  And do this for one another.    

I’m extremely excited for the year ahead.  So let’s get started on this good work.  Thank you for your attention.