New senior prefect encourages classmates to ‘start somewhere’

Nov. 6, 2023

Sloan Littleton ’24, Culver Girls Academy’s second rotation senior prefect, encouraged classmates at the leadership transition ceremony on Sunday to “start somewhere” in their quest for new development and new growth.

She told the Culver Girls Academy students that they are in a pivotal time where their values are one of the most important things.

“Starting somewhere does not mean changing the direct0ry of your day or your life to implement new change. It means what you have control of right now. This could mean taking little steps to get out of your comfort zone, trying to create less distractions for yourself during CQ, or sticking up for someone or something when you have a feeling something is wrong. Whatever makes the most sense for you to start.”

She urged the girls to open their minds to the possibility of new development and new growth.

“Change should not be a scary thing. It should be welcomed and evaluated. I hope to see each and every one of you grow, as I, myself, hope to continue a new path of growth,” Littleton said.

 Littleton told her classmates how she initially resisted coming to Culver because she didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of her brother Garrett ’21 and sister McKenna ’23, who was last year’s second rotation senior prefect, because she wanted to create her own path.

She initially decided to stay at home in Midlothian, Texas, and attend a public high school. She initially was happy with her choice, but then things took a turn. She said she was bullied, lost her friends and was struggling in school and switched to online school because she was having panic attacks.

She said she was in a dark place when she decided at the last second to enroll in Culver as a sophomore, where she got a fresh start.

“I took in all lessons Culver had to offer. I started to learn how to learn. I started to understand that it is OK to fail, and failing is not an end product, the lessons which you learn from them are,” she said. “I created the most meaningful relationships. I valued the process of developing as a person. I was open to new friendships and good health.”

She said she chose the theme of “start somewhere,” because she got her fresh start when she decided to continue her education at Culver.   

“I hope through my story you now have an understanding of why growth and development are so important to me. As I have stated before, your path will look different than mine, and that is OK. When I came here, I decided to start over, and you get to decide where you start,” she said.

Caren Standfast, who took over as the new CGA dean on June 5, told the students that leadership transitions are pivotal moments for any institution.

“They signal new stewardship, fresh perspectives and reinvigorate purpose. But most importantly they remind us that while leaders come and go, the enduring values and excellence of Culver Girls Academy remain constant,” she said.

She thanked the outgoing leaders for their hard work, dedication and inspiration and told the girls that as her inaugural first rotation leaders they will always hold a special place in her heart. She encouraged the new leaders to draw strength from those who came before them and urged them to lay a solid foundation for those who will follow them.

“This ceremony signifies the passing of responsibility from outgoing leaders to incoming leaders. It is a time to honor the dedication and impact of our outgoing leaders while also welcoming new leaders who will guide us forward,” she said.

She told the girls that a mentor once shared with her that she didn’t need to take big swings to win the game.

“But you do have to commit to taking little hits. The message being: have faith in the power of small continuous actions done with commitment over time,” she said.

Outgoing first rotation Senior Prefect Kari Teglia thanked her classmates for embracing her theme of “aspire to inspire.”

“CGA holds a special place in my heart because of the amazing family we have here. I’m always grateful for all of you,” Teglia said. “I hope you will always continue to aspire to be your best selves and inspire each other to work as a team.”