At the heart of each of our Proctor experience lies relationships; relationships to this place, to friends, to colleagues, and to our work. For Rhys Brooks ‘88 and Trask Pfeifle ‘89 it was their shared relationship with Teddy Maloney ‘88 through Proctor that has left a remarkable legacy at Proctor.
While each year at Proctor is unique, it also has a familiar rhythm that reassures us we’re on the right path. Fall Family Weekend and the Niner Hike to the Proctor Cabin are two milestones that remind us we are a part of a cycle that repeats itself (with variations of course) each school year.
The Proctor community mourns the untimely death of alum and member of the Board of Trustees, Shawn Hurwitz ‘83, who unexpectedly died early Sunday morning in a boating accident. Hurwitz, who was Proctor’s commencement speaker in 2012, was not only chairman of a Maxxam, Inc, a Houston-based real estate company, but a champion of providing underprivileged a quality education through his involvement in KIPP schools around the country.
“I was quite shy as a kid and used to gaze out the window and daydream quite a bit. In third grade, my teacher told me told me, ‘Quit staring out the window, because when you grow up, no one will pay you to sit there and just look out the window’. I guess I showed her!”
And just like that graduation is over. Summer is near. Faculty are conducting end of year meetings. Advisors are mailing letters to students recapping the academic year and reviewing grades and teacher comments. Reunion weekend is a few days away - a time for faculty to reconnect with past students and rekindle the relationships that defined those students high school years. This time of year reminds us why we work in education, and specifically, why we have chosen to work at Proctor.
Over the past three days we have celebrated the Class of 2015! Seniors cruised Lake Winnipesaukee Thursday evening before families gathered with the Proctor community for Senior Dinner Friday evening. Saturday morning the festivities continued as sunny skies and temperatures in the high 80s greeted the masses for Proctor's 167th Graduation!
My 106 classmates and I have just a few days remaining in our Proctor experience. Collectively, our families will have paid almost $20 million in tuition to Proctor over the past four years. Staggering, I know. Before beginning my communications internship with Scott Allemby I had little exposure to the financial model of independent schools like Proctor Academy. I thought our school must have money to burn and I know my classmates share that assumption.
With only a handful of days until graduation and spring sports teams wrapping up the regular season, the reality that college is only a few short months away is beginning to set in for the Class of 2015. For many seniors, their final moments of their athletic careers are upon them. For those seniors playing at the next level, however, this new chapter represents a continual dedication to maximizing their potential and through the encouragement of coaches and teammates.
