‘Twas the night before September 8, 2009 when a little boy named Ben Rachel went to sleep for the last time as a non-Parker student. The very next morning, he was whisked out of bed and thrust into the Embryonic Democracy called Francis W. Parker School, an institution as old as time whose principles reach the highest levels of progressive education. That little boy has spent 13 years walking the halls and sitting in the classrooms of Parker school. That little boy has spent hours doing meaningless homework and hours of not sleeping in the wee hours of the morning. That little boy has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at the school including food, merchandise, and 7-Eleven (and of course tuition). That little boy… is me. 

Hi, I’m Ben Rachel – the little boy. It has been a long 13 years since I first walked through the front doors, and it is almost time for me to walk out of them. For the last time. From the youngest kids in the school to the oldest, I have experienced everything this Model Home has to offer. Now, in this column, I will give the entire readership of The Weekly an overview of this progressive institution. 

Firstly, you may be asking yourself, why should you listen to me? Not to brag or anything, but I currently have 13 Parker yearbooks on my bookshelf developing a small layer of dust. Along with that, you can look me up on the Parker portal and see my address, and my family members. I have had the privilege of watching 13 12-days MXs, 13 Corinthians, 13 Class Days, and 12 County Fairs. I am currently the only student (with help from two other students) to film a teacher lip syncing to Taylor Swift, and I am currently the only student who played three sports at the same time. By no means am I saying that my opinion is better than yours. I just have a bunch of interesting anecdotes to share about my experience at Parker which hopefully expands your view of this school.. If you would like to have a civil debate with me about this column, please feel free to reach me at my Parker email or you can mail me a letter at my very public address. 

Secondly, this column is meant solely to be an outlet of information and personal experiences. To be frank, this column isn’t always going to be sunshine and flowers. Some issues will highlight more sensitive topics while others will criticize the school. Parker is the best school I’ve ever been at (I’ve only been at Parker), but like all things in this world, it has its flaws. In this column, I hope to shine a light on them while also praising Parker’s accomplishments. Parker is a school that follows a multitude of different values or ethics. This column may poke fun at these traditions and values. However, there are risks that come with that (censorship). If I write ‘pineapple’ in a column, that means I’m being held hostage by the iron-giant of censorship. But in all honesty, this column is meant to highlight my experiences at this school without feeling the pressure to suck-up to anyone. By the end of the year, I hope this column will have taught you readers something about Parker and yourself. 

Thirdly, this column is always meant to change. Nothing in this world – or “The Weekly” – is set in stone. Since this column is a part of The Weekly, it is subject to change – forcefully or voluntarily. That means that some columns I may write as if I am monologuing, while others may be a statistics-filled investigative report. Just like my career at Parker, everything and everyone changes. So, don’t be surprised if this column all of sudden takes a turn once the second semester hits (and no, that isn’t a homage to senioritis). 

To close out this first issue of my column, I would like to give some thanks and a sneak-peak into the next issue. Thank you to me, who wrote and came up with this column. Thank you to Parker for not only shaping who I am today, but also giving me content for this column. And thank you to my dog (whose name is Parker) for almost ripping my little toe clean off while writing this. The next issue will cover the small and forgotten topic of COVID-19 and the pandemic. While you readers wait for my next issue, please enjoy the rest of these amazing articles. 

With a pleasant heart, 

Ben Rachel