12/18/25
As we have midterm exams coming up pretty soon, I want to quickly remind us all of something that is more important than the exam: the Honor Code.
Honor has defined our tradition for centuries, passed down through many people who came before us. For that reason, today, instead of speaking from my own words, I would like to borrow the voices of the past heads of the Honor Committee.
Guy Thomas ’17, Head of the Honor Committee almost 10 years ago, said: “I ask every one of you to be authentic, since you are neither helping yourself nor your teacher when you hand in something that is not yours. Your teachers want you to succeed; they want you to find yourself.”
What makes EHS special is that we can all trust each other to be authentic with our work. I will put in the effort to study for exams knowing all of you will do so as well instead of taking short cuts. So that when we walk out of the classroom on exam week, we can feel confident that we are all getting graded on our authentic work. However, if that trust is broken, even once, it can easily break the foundation of our community.
Two years ago, Jayden Muthaiah ’24 described this responsibility saying, “You are actually given two tests. First you were tested on the academic material assigned to you. Second, and more importantly, you are tested on your integrity.”
Next week, in every exam, you will be tested on two things. You will not only be tested on the materials you learned but also on your ability to resist the temptation when it matters the most. Matt Berry ’03 gives us a hint to pass that second test, saying “If you were tempted to cheat, you must find a reason not to succumb to the temptation.”
One of the strongest reasons not to fall into temptation is simply being prepared. It is never too late to start studying. Use this weekend to review materials, set up study sessions, and email teachers with questions. These preparations will reduce the chance of panicking, which is often what leads people to make decisions they later regret.
Nonetheless, even with preparation, temptation may appear. Ali Alford ’13, thirteen years ago, recognized that “None of us are perfect. It is more than likely that we will come across problems and questions that we won’t have answers to. But, far more important than upholding a good grade, is upholding the Honor Code.” Tests are meant to be challenging and struggling is part of learning. But please remember, at times when temptation arises, that a single dishonest decision does not only put your honor and place at EHS in danger, but also threatens the system of trust and integrity our community depends on.
I want to close my last reminder of 2025 with words from David Breeden ’04 that was said about two decades ago: “Episcopal doesn’t function without honor. Episcopal doesn’t exist without the investment of the individual in their assertion that we stand behind honor.” The honor system only works if we all buy into it all the time in all of our everyday actions. As you have heard today from chairs across many years in the past, honor has always been at the center of our core value, reminding us that grades never defined who we were. Our actions did.
So be fully prepared. And when you enter the classes on exam week, remember this. Do not trade integrity for points. The values you uphold matters far more than what you score.
