Young Men of Integrity
So many of those who have been part of the Merchiston community will often comment to me that ours is a school with something very special to it that is incredibly hard to articulate. This intangible ‘something’ that gives a school its identity - far beyond bricks, mortar, and open space - is the most precious asset we have; but how to authentically express it has, for many years, been an unresolved challenge.
It is with enormous excitement, therefore, that we are introducing our new ‘statement of self’ - “Young Men of Integrity” - both to our own community and the world beyond our walls. In these four words, and the suite of media that is to accompany them, we feel we have honed in on what truly distinguishes Merchiston. It is not our results, as enviable as they may be; nor is it our setting, as stirring and unforgettable as that may remain. It is the young men we are so proud to call our own. In those ‘boys' - those young men of integrity - are imbued all the qualities that make a parent proud of their son. Honesty, empathy, determination, commitment, and manners that some might dismiss as ‘old fashioned’, yet to us mean so much. As part of our new brand ‘narrative’ extolls:
“To hold that door an extra beat,
To get to your feet,
When the moment calls.
To shake a hand like you mean it,
To take your leave or say your bit.
Means something in these walls.”
Through this new expression of ourselves we are now able to confidently return to a single idea that will underpin everything we do as a community. Our mission is as simple as it is profound; to develop young men of integrity. If we can cement that integrity in each and every young man in our care, we have achieved our most fundamental of goals. Examination grades and achievements of all kinds will provide opportunities, but young men of integrity will walk out of our doors and through those that will matter most in the future of our world.
In printed material, outward-facing advertisements and - in due course - a stirring and cinematic piece of film, we hope to help more and more families understand what it means to belong to our community; and the ultimate ‘human’ goal of our work in school. We have not succeeded if we climb league tables or win trophies alone - we will only have fulfilled our own purpose by working alongside families to develop young men of integrity.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy the material that is being released today and in the coming months, and will join us in celebrating the young men that make us so proud through their coming of age at our school. At Merchiston we are privileged to teach, guide, and come to know each and every one of them. This message - above all - is about our boys; for without them we are nought.
