Thayer Academy is a staple of the South Shore and has been since the nineteenth century. All drivers on Route 3 North see the bell tower, and it has to be the most unique building in town. Another fact that sets Thayer apart is that it’s been coed since its founding. Oh, and we’re also the only school in the ISL that doesn’t have red, blue, or green as one of its school colors.

I’m enrolled at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. I hope to study something in the forestry, ecology, and environmental realm. I will also take commercial driver’s license classes this year to earn my Massachusetts commercial driver’s license.

I have a dangerously powerful appreciation for license plates.

Thayer has prepared me for success by providing what I would describe as an unbelievable and likely unbeatable family to raise me. Having been a part of the Thayer community for my entire life, I see aunts and uncles in the teachers and staff, and friends in everyone. That said, Thayer has taught me the value of meaningful relationships and of people, which has kept me humble and extremely grateful for the Thayer community when I’m apart from it; that, in turn, sets me up for success in the future.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

College Counseling was helpful to me during the decision-making process simply by providing an easy timeline to work with, meaning that the process felt fluid. It wasn’t rushed, and I had enough time between steps to consider my options and move forward without reservations.

My friends inspire me every day. I’m amazed at their abilities, their confidence, and their willingness to be good people. And I know I can count on them for, say, a jump start (thanks, Ross) or a calculator right before taking the PSAT (thanks, Anna). I’m incredibly grateful for knowing them, and I’m in debt to each and every one of them.

This one is easy: junior year, first semester, American History with Ms. Brown. It was our first semester back in person after “Zoom School,” and we had just turned in our final projects about the New Deal. For my project, I focused on the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Native Alaskan communities throughout the 1930s. After handing back the projects, Ms. Brown told me that she had noticed I had a genuine interest in my chosen topic, and she gifted me two books: The 2020 Alaska Travel Guide and The Guide to the Alaska Highway. She also expressed the hope that someday I would make the drive up to “The Last Frontier” to see some of the places I had discussed in my project. This was important to me because it showed that Ms. Brown cared less about the project (and the grade) and more about what impact the project had on the student.

“No Surrender” by Bruce Springsteen.

Pizza on Fridays. It’s just tradition.

My favorite Thayer memory was on the Thursday of our last week of classes. Seniors usually spend the last week outside on the Teardrop (at least when we’re not in class), and that Thursday was particularly beautiful. Everyone was outside, Springsteen by Eric Church was on the radio, and some friends and I were hanging out in my truck. This was a very full-circle moment as I recall watching the Class of 2019 enjoy their last week just as we were. In 2019, a fellow freshman commented, “We’re gonna have so much fun this week when we’re seniors.” And three years later, we did. After that moment, I felt like we had completed the loop — from watching those seniors enjoy it as freshmen to enjoying it ourselves as seniors.