Late last month, Townsend Harris High School hosted its annual Founder’s Day ceremony in the newly renovated Colden Auditorium at Queens College. The event comes after last year’s ceremony took place in the THHS auditorium due to Colden being closed for renovations.
Assistant Principal of World Languages and Social Studies Rafal Olechowski hosted the ceremony. “Having [Founders’ Day] in person is so much better. It feels like a special day with a true sense of community and a much better vibe,” he said.
“It felt really fresh to be back in the auditorium even though we only went to the auditorium during sophomore year. There was not much change that can be seen except for some changes to the stage and the lighting systems. However, as seniors we sat in the top back so it did feel a lot better,” said senior Azreen Azbar.
Since last year’s event was virtual for most of the school, this year’s Founder’s Day was the first traditional ceremony for both the class of 2027 and the class of 2028.
“Seeing and experiencing Founder’s Day in person was a lot more engaging than experiencing it virtually last year,” said sophomore Jayla Leandré. “I think in a way for sophomores, this year was kind of our first Founder’s Day because it felt a little more real and exciting in person.”
Sophomore Kexin Wang said, “It didn’t feel fair to experience what sounded like such an important moment in Townsend through a smartboard. I really wish we got the real experience at QC.”
Freshman Samia Orav said, “This year’s Founder’s Day was amazing,” and that her expectations “were definitely met.”
This year’s Founder’s Day featured performances from the Symphonic Orchestra, the “Dream Team,” composed of science teacher David Stern, music teachers Christopher Lee, and Kevin Heathwood, as well as the annual senior skit where seniors attempt to portray teachers in a humorous, yet accurate manner.
Mr. Stern said, “This year the crowd’s energy was more palpable and the cellphone flashlights helped set the energy. Being in front of the whole school community is the best feeling in the world.” “Some of my most favorite parts of Founders Day are the senior skits, as well as the music selections,” said Assistant Principal of Organization Ellen Fee. “I am so proud of the performers. I believe that it is so important that we don’t take Founders’ Day and our education for granted because not everyone has the privilege to be in a school like Townsend Harris.”
Senior class president Ethan Ben-David and senior class vice president Andrew Gurcharan oversaw the senior skit, holding auditions for the actors and working with them to memorize and execute the script.
Classical Languages teacher Jonathan Owens said, “As a teacher, I love watching the senior skit. You can really tell the students have fun doing it, and I always love to see their portrayals of me. Especially this year I thought Raghav’s impression was on point.”
This year’s keynote speaker was THHS Class of 2004 alumna and Dubai radio personality Priti Malik. In an interview with The Classic, Ms. Malik discussed how she felt coming back to THHS. “I absolutely felt a sense of nostalgia,” she said. “I was totally honored to be asked to come back and speak. It was a great walk down memory lane.”
Senior Lynn Eo said it was inspiring to hear this speech as she will be heading to college soon: “I felt empowered and determined after hearing our keynote speaker Priti Malik’s speech because as a senior, there is always this sense of confusion and worry. She gave me hope that everything will eventually work out.”
“Being a Harriste means integrity,” said Ms. Malik. “It is a badge of honor because it is not easy to get into this school, and I think we all carry that weight for the rest of our lives. …The one thing that hasn’t changed since my years in Townsend is the sense of pride and community. I loved watching all the students cheer on their teachers and peers.”
Mr. Olechowski said that he still remembers his first Founders’ Day experience. “When I first started working here and sat in the audience as a teacher for my first Founders’ Day, I was amazed that no other high school had an event like this.”
“Everyone was dressed up, gathered together as a community, and the orchestra and speeches were so inspiring that they truly impressed me. It honestly was overwhelming at first but it made me feel part of something bigger and truly inspired me into believing what we stand for as a school together,” he said.
Additional reporting by Sunny Chen, Xinyi Chen, Brier Chng, Sayemah Nadi, and Uma Tevlin
