Third rotation senior prefect encourages CGA students to “Plant Your Roots Deep”

Third Rotation Senior Prefect Shea Bryant ’26 encouraged Culver Girls Academy students to reflect on purpose, growth and community during Wednesday’s transition ceremony, introducing her theme for the rotation: “Plant Your Roots Deep.”

Bryant opened by expressing gratitude for the leadership of her fellow senior prefects, Tess Roemer ’26 and Grace Haskin ’26.

“I am constantly being inspired by CGA, whether it be finding my way to be exceptional or leading action with compassion,” Bryant said, thanking Roemer and Haskin for modeling leadership rooted in “heart and purpose.”

She emphasized that leadership at CGA extends beyond titles, noting that students inspire one another daily, whether in athletics, academics, dorm life or extracurricular activities and collectively shape what makes Culver, an elite leadership-oriented boarding school, special.

Introducing herself more personally, Bryant recounted spending a childhood summer gardening with her neighbor, Bob, who donated all his produce to families in need through his church. Though she didn’t recognize it at the time, Bryant said the experience taught her about working toward a great cause and making an impact.

“That’s where my theme comes in: ‘Plant Your Roots Deep,’ ” Bryant said.

She explained that planting roots is reflected in how one leads — through showing up for others, taking risks, pursuing passions and giving back to the community. Leadership, she emphasized, is not about visibility, but about consistency and commitment.

Bryant closed by encouraging students to appreciate the opportunities they have at CGA to explore their identities, serve as leaders, and work toward shared goals. Acknowledging that the end of the year can be challenging, she urged students to remain engaged and intentional.

“Keep showing up, keep caring, and keep choosing to make a difference every single day,” she said.

Bryant’s theme was echoed in remarks by CGA Senior Counselor Jill Strange, who reflected on compassion, foundations and shared strength.

“Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about compassion and about foundations,” Strange said, referencing the idea of “sistering” as “supporting each other, like beams holding up a house,” and noting that “ ‘sistering’ requires a solid foundation.”

She told the students she originally planned to talk about a 250-year-old gnarled maple tree in her back pasture with a single taproot. She planned to compare CGA students to that maple.

“But then I thought: Actually, no. You are not maples. Maples are loners. They can’t handle dorm life,” she said.

Instead, Strange compared CGA students to redwood trees.

“They spread their roots wide, intertwining with the roots of every tree around them. They literally fuse together,” she said. “Their strength is not individual. Their strength is communal.”

She connected the metaphor to life at Culver, where students are shaped by shared experiences and core values.

“Each of you is a force of nature. Not because you stand alone, but because you stand together, literally rooted into each other,” Strange said.

She concluded that leadership means “not standing above, but standing with. Not being a single taproot, but helping weave the network that keeps everyone upright.”