As Proctor wraps up exam week, closing out the winter term, reflection on the work of the many diverse arts disciplines on display over the past couple of weeks offers a wonderful sense of satisfaction for all. Both visual and performing arts were hard at work throughout the term, finding considerable success on many levels.
Bryan Stevenson gave the keynote address at the annual NAIS conference in San Francisco this past Friday morning. His hour long address passionately wove his life's story with narratives of injustice that permeate our society. Each of us in the audience were moved not only by the power of his oratory skills, but by his challenge to help our schools get ‘real’ with injustice.
My concerns with the host family in Spain vanished as soon as I stepped into the house. The house is not big, and, to some extent, kind of compact. Yet, it is Olga, Cesar and Jimena that make it super cute, adorable, and most importantly, a family in a completely different region and culture. Whether it is Jimena jumping around, “cheating” in our chess games, posing for pictures and “pestering” for more chocolate, whether it is Cesar playing music, cooking the best fish dish that I have ever eaten and preparing a large tortilla de patata bocadillo to share with my friends, whether it is Olga chattering about my everyday experiences, waking me up from my daily siestas (“Nick, Nick, wake up”), “censuring” me for the untidiness in my room and always asking me to eat more food, I feel like that here in Segovia, I have found my other, long-lost family. For the first time in my life, I get to know the feeling of having a sibling in my life, to care for someone unconditionally. She seems to bring me happiness; her laughter, her dance, and her gibberish have the power to bring a wisp of sunshine through the gloomy sky. For the first time in my life, I get to have two families located in different areas who love and care for me equally.
Proctor Acadmey's athletic teams concluded the regular season this weekend with some outstanding performances. Three of Proctor's teams (with boys' basketball narrowly missing a bid) earned spots in the NEPSAC Tournament this week! For a complete listing of all NEPSAC tournament brackets, visit their website HERE. Proctor's teams will play their quarterfinal games on Wednesday afternoon. Read on for a preview of each team's first round match-up!
Last week Proctor's Mountain Classroom group enjoyed themselves at Winter Count and then drove to Cochise Stronghold, east of Tucson, to be challenged rock climbing on gorgeous granite. Now the group has moved north to collaborate with Prescott College and wrap up the academic term while camping at Arcosanti. To conclude the term the group will spend two days and nights on a hiking expedition departing from Arcosanti into the adjacent public land in search of hot springs. Enjoy student reflections on Winter Count below!
The measure of 'success' in athletics varies by individual athlete, and to many degrees each of our students are successful when they work alongside teammates and coaches to improve individual skill and collective teamwork. The end of each athletic season affords an opportunity to recognize specific athletes whose mindset, performance, and commitment to their team go above and beyond.
Every year one spine-tingling moment rises above others. We all have our Proctor highlight reels – Hays speeches, Pete Talks, buzzer beaters in basketball, robotics presentations, social entrepreneurship pitches, a painting in Slocumb – moments that prickle the forearms and back of the neck. Ghostly moments, spiritual moments, what-just-happened moments. Last Sunday’s choral performances certainly gave me a new one.
Each winter Proctor’s theater department puts on a wonderful production. Check out highlights from last year’s production of To Kill a Mockingbird to see for yourself! This winter, the drama tech crew has built an elaborate set and actors have worked incredibly hard to produce Harvey showing Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 PM in the Norris Family Theater!
