Student Life

Storytelling. Emotions. Humor. Life lessons. Senior offerings are a tradition here at St. Andrew’s that have been going on for over a decade, and they have been a way for seniors to showcase their unique storytelling abilities and provide a life lesson, funny story, or theme for the audience to enjoy. Senior offerings have been cemented as an integral part of the St. Andrew’s experience, and they are just one of the many reasons why chapel at St. Andrew’s is so special. 

“It definitely requires some bravery,” said Rev. Whitney Kirby, the Upper School Chaplain who is in charge of helping seniors write and give their homilies. She explained the process of helping a senior write an offering, and said that it usually starts well before the school year even begins. “First, we have to decide on the chapel theme for the year, as well as picking out the readings,” she said. “The whole process usually begins the summer before the school year starts.” As soon as all the basics have been taken care of, she posts a senior offering sign-up sheet in September, which is made available for all seniors who want to give an offering. “About 40 to 50 percent of the senior class signs up to give an offering,” she said, “but usually, only around 30 to 40 percent of them end up actually giving one.” 

Once the sign-up sheets have been filled up, Rev. Kirby schedules dates for seniors to give their offerings based on the information and time frame they provide her. She requires seniors who are giving an offering to meet with her at least twice. “On average, I usually spend around four hours helping seniors write their offerings,” she said. “Sometimes it’s more and sometimes it’s less.” During these meetings, Rev. Kirby helps seniors brainstorm, write, edit, and practice their presentations. “She definitely helped me and provided a lot of guidance,” said senior Sage Epstein, who gave a senior offering on February 15. “I learned a lot from her about both how to express myself and how to speak what’s on my mind.”

After each senior who is giving an offering completes at least two meetings with Rev. Kirby, they go through with giving their offering after hours of work, writing, and preparation. “Each offering you see is the best possible version of that offering,” said Rev. Kirby. “The difference maker is how sincere and authentic the senior is in what it is they want to talk about; that’s what makes a good offering.” There have been many examples of memorable senior offerings in years past that have influenced other students to sign up to give their own offering. “All three of the Thompson children gave senior offerings,” said Rev. Kirby, “and those were for sure the most memorable in my opinion; they were all interested in giving their own offering about the same thing: the influence that their mother was to them.” Another topic that makes a senior offering memorable, according to Rev. Kirby, is bravery. “Last year, Emma Davis gave an offering about her experience as a stuntwoman,” she said. “It’s always great when an offering totally surprises you.”

Senior offerings have been a staple of student life here at St. Andrew’s for years, and the hard work that exists behind a single offering should not be overlooked. “It’s a rewarding experience,” said senior Grace Tuhabonye. “You never know if someone out there could be impacted by what you have to say.” The impact that senior offerings can have on the audience is a huge part of what makes them so special and important to the St. Andrew’s community, and the tradition seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future. “I would definitely recommend giving an offering,” continued senior Sage Epstein. “Find something you want to talk about and speak your mind. It’s a great way to express yourself and overcome social anxiety.”