Peter Cahillane Arriving at school at 8 A.M. on a Monday (or any day for that matter) is never easy, but a simple hello can make early mornings far less painful. For the past year, Latin has relied on Sami Aday for that small, yet incredibly kind gesture.  Sami Aday sits behind the front desk of the Upper School, welcoming students, faculty, and guests, into the building. He is incredibly personable, referring to everyone by name. Sami provides a warm welcome, always accompanied with a smile. How do freshman feel about having a kind face welcoming them into a new environment? When asked if they were nervous on the first day of school, a freshman replied, “Yeah, who wasn’t?” This anxiety seemed to be common among the class of 2022 on their first day. Some found relief when they entered the building and immediately received a hello from Sami. Freshman Keely Moll said, “On the first day, he asked me what my name was, and he has greeted me every day since then.” Keely continued, saying that whenever Sami greets her she feels “very welcomed, important, cared for, and happy.” This sentiment seemed to be apparent in all other freshmen I talked to, whether they are new to Latin or returning students. After relaying the students’ kind words to Sami, he replied ,“I’m speechless. It makes me happy that a student felt that way. It’s my job the make sure everyone feels welcomed and happy even if they are having a bad day. Securing the school and making sure all students, faculty, and staff are safe is my number one goal.” Sami also said, “I greet every person that comes in and goes out even if they were in and out 20 times. Sometimes I feel like people hate it, but no one has said anything yet.” Despite what he says, the general consensus of the freshman class is that he brightens, not dims, our mornings. It is truly impressive that Sami is able to maintain such a positive attitude all the time. There are undoubtedly people who don’t reciprocate his friendly hello, either because they couldn’t hear it or maybe even a lack of courtesy. It requires a genuinely kind personality to be positive and welcoming to all the people who come in and out of Latin all day. Next time  you have some downtime, perhaps you’re running to Starbucks during a free period, consider talking with Sami to get to know him. He is an authentically kind man who wants to get to know everyone. He concluded by saying, “I wouldn’t say I know everyone’s name because of the new freshman, but I know every single face and I know who the students are when they walk in. Give me until Thanksgiving, and I will know every person’s name.” ]]>