Hutchison’s Emily Smith Britton Chapter of the Cum Laude Society inducted 15 new members this spring.
Founded in 1906 on the model of Phi Beta Kappa, the Cum Laude Society honors the academic achievement of high school scholars. Hutchison’s Chapter of Cum Laude was installed in 1958 in honor of Emily Smith Britton ’55.
Brittany Trimble ’08, this year’s distinguished alumna honoree, delivered the Cum Laude address to the girls. She serves as a Captain in the United States Air Force as an F-16 pilot and has been a commissioned officer since 2012.
In her address to the girls during today's ceremony, she talked about the life lessons she learned at Hutchison that have helped her succeed in her career such as critical thinking, attention to detail, and the concept of Parkinson’s Law.
“During pilot training, I realized a critical component of aviation was attention to detail, and I credit the Hutchison literacy program with teaching me this valuable skill. I began applying the same focus that I did to my English papers to airspace and altitude blocks and communication flows.
“I am able to fall back on the lessons I learned in these halls, but one final skill remains as the foundation of my successes: critical thinking. Though you may not see it now, rest assured the lessons you aren’t aware of yet, those slowly being built in the background of your mind, will one day pave your way.”