On my way to the library in the twilight hour earlier this week, I passed a group of students outside the back of Rulon-Miller Dorm in the dark sitting in Adirondack chairs just chilling and chatting. They were senior boys getting their wings, deciding what evening study hall will now look like for them as they transition to Senior Projects, last rites of the school year, and what post-graduation might hold as they begin to chart their own courses.
We feel more fragile than we did two years ago. We worry our children are more fragile, too; their childhood upended by a global pandemic, school interrupted, screens trying in vain to replace the human interaction that we know fuels their soul. And yet, as we step into the bright light of a post-pandemic world, squinting our eyes against the flood of “how it was before”, we must realize it is through challenge that our children are strengthened.
Proctor Academy's spring Mountain Classroom students are off and running (or hiking) on the adventure of their lifetime. For the next eight weeks this group of ten students and two instructors will criss cross the American west, winding their way back to New Hampshire through Colorado and the Great Plains before eventually pulling onto campus, parking in front of Maxwell Savage Hall to sprint the rotunda stairs and ring the bell. As Stewart '22 and Alana '23 share in their beautiful prose below, it is the journey itself where students grow, stretch, and evolve as young people. Enjoy this window into the Mountain Classroom experience.
Proctor en Monteverde affords a small group of sophomores the opportunity to study abroad in Monteverde, Costa Rica during the winter and spring trimesters. This spring, Boo ‘24, Will 24, Lisle ‘24, Kiefer ‘24, Riley 24, and Ben ‘24 continue with their regular sophomore classes while exploring all that the incredibly biodiverse Monteverde Region has to offer.
Throughout our first week of being here in Vauvenargues, France has been extraordinary. Our group has gotten so close within a short period of time and the memories we have made so far are enlightening.
As spring sports get underway on campus, we reflect on the winter athletic season and the tireless efforts of coaches, athletic trainers, athletic staff, ski area crew, hockey rink staff, and students, the winter athletic season requires a remarkable amount of energy and commitment. We define success by many measures at Proctor, and while the scoreboard was not always in our favor, keeping our eyes set on the lessons taught and relationships developed through sport reminds us why we commit the time, energy, and resources to our athletic programs. Thank you to everyone that made the winter season happen, and to the staff at the Proctor Broadcasting Network for working tirelessly to provide livestreams of all home athletic contests!
As educators, we are always a bit challenged by Accepted Student Days as we simultaneously want to put our best foot forward for each visiting family while remaining true to who we are. A well orchestrated Accepted Student Day is critical to showing families the entirety of the Proctor experience, and yet the trust we place in our students to showcase the best of Proctor is what families will likely remember.
Just 24 hours after the Spring Equinox, eight Mountain Classroom students arrived in Las Vegas, ready to embark on a ten week journey exploring the natural areas of Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and ultimately, New Hampshire.
