New experiences are inevitable as are things coming to an end. Between the first step incoming freshmen take into the Upper School and the last step a senior takes out of it, experiences both good and bad, memories full of life, and stories to pass on are made.
Dean of Student Life Joe Bruno sees students through all of their experiences. “There’s the retreats, dances, graduation, and all of these activities in the Upper School, and I’m so used to the 18-year-old brain, and then the first thing I do in the year is Bridge and Orientation,” Bruno said. “So it’s going from 18 to 14 and then realizing the difference, and so what I see is the potential of what can be, and I know the capabilities.”
In early September, freshmen new and old are welcomed into Parker. As pre-season for fall athletics begins, the new students start to intertwine themselves with other members of the community. The relationships built from these sports create tighter bonds and a brief sense of what to expect once academics begin.
“My last high school athletics season just concluded,” senior Gabrielle Silverman said. “I’ve played field hockey all four years and love the team so much. It hit me on senior night how far I’ve come as a player and team member, and our last game was very emotional.”
One thing every senior goes through is the beginning of their first lasts. In many cases, the first last begins with saying goodbye to their fall athletic team, and the people and coaches that have been by their sides. This includes Field Hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, and Golf. All of these teams carry traditions to value and say goodbye to their graduating class, while also welcoming newcomers. This growth is an integral part of being on a team and evolving as an individual.
“I would say it’s probably one of the greatest privileges and joys of my life to watch you all grow,” Bruno said. “It really is.”
In the midst of the fall athletic season, the first day of school approaches in early September. Schedules are being modified, friendships are being solidified, and Parker’s doors open for another ten months of education.
“I enjoyed the first day of school, and it was exciting to experience a different schedule than previous years,” freshman Noah Silverman said. “I’m looking forward to doing more.”
The first day of school is a momentous occasion for the whole building. For the graduating class, however, it’s their first opportunity to acknowledge that they are the oldest students in the building. It’s now their job to inspire and lead the junior kindergarden all the way through 11th grade.
“The first day of school was exciting, but also emotional. The senior class gathered before school to take photos, and that’s when it truly hit me that this was my 14th and final year at Parker,” Gabrielle Silverman said. “It feels like just yesterday I was a freshman struggling to find my classes, and now I know the school like the back of my hand.”
For students who enter the Parker alcove for the first time their freshman year, it is both similar and different to the experience of those who have walked the same space for all 14 years. There is a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia for what once was.
“For me, it’s the look of possibility,” Bruno said. “It’s looking at all of these young beings, these minds, and thinking, wow, they have their whole life ahead of them. The world is theirs, and I see the possibility in all of them.”
Every couple of weeks, the whole high school meets for student government. This is a time for freshmen through seniors to have a chance and discuss their opinions in a healthy setting. Opportunities to pitch ideas, share resolutions, and joke with one another bring the whole of the Upper School together.
“I think that student government helps provide feedback to the school, and I’m happy to now be a part of that,” Noah Silverman said.
Similarly, Gabrielle finds it exciting to see what students can do when they work together for the common good.“As the oldest grade in the room, I can look back on all that has been accomplished since I’ve been in high school, and it’s surreal.”
Another facet of an upperclassmen’s experience is who is present. Educators, staff, parents, and students come all together to make Parker the best it can be for the learners in the building. These adults stand by us, help us, and encourage us to be our best selves as teenagers developing into young adults.
“I get to watch you grow from freshman year to senior year and I can’t even really put into words what that experience means to an educator,” Bruno said. “There’s always that moment of ‘wow, they get it. it clicked for them, and I can see that they’ve lost some of those habits of immaturity.”
A lot can change from freshman to senior year. Friends, interests, demeanor, personality, confidence, and many more traits and abilities that shape people into who they are, and who they want to be as they enter the real world. Things that help provoke these changes also include extracurricular activities.
“I do Model UN, and I like it because it helps me to present information and speak without notes,” Noah Silverman said. “I joined because my sister is a captain. I love working with her, and her speaking motivates me to work hard, along with the other seniors.”
Like how the seniors motivate the freshman, and older siblings motivate younger ones, it can go both ways in terms of stimulating new ideas.
“When I started Model UN, I was terrified of public speaking and worried I would never become a strong delegate. I stayed consistent with my attendance and continued to practice at symposia and conferences in hopes of improving,” Gabrielle Silverman said. “I have always admired the Student Captains. The combination of their thoughtfully delivered feedback and advice, factual knowledge, and passion for the program inspired me to work diligently. Now as an Upper School Captain, those qualities have been my top priorities. I aim to do what my captains did for me as a freshman, and they allow me to help.”
Coinciding with extracurricular activities are school dances such as homecoming, winter formal, and prom. Each leaves their own special touch on students at Parker for the first and last times.
“I liked how all the sports teams had games on homecoming, and it was fun to watch them and cheer on my friends. I’m looking forward to winter formal too and what comes next,” Noah Silverman said.
On the other side of things, the seniors begin to say goodbye.
“My last homecoming was by far my favorite. Social Committee did an amazing job and it was exciting to have such a fun time with my classmates. I’m looking forward to winter formal as well,” Gabrielle Silverman said. “But prom, I’m especially looking forward to prom, as it will be my last high school dance and one of the last times my entire class is together.”
Furthermore, Bruno shared some wishes regarding those last few steps in a senior’s high school career.
“I hope that they get to know themselves even more than they know themselves now. I hope that they explore life. I hope that they explore all of the opportunities. I hope that they experience all of the joys and ups and downs. I hope that students experience all of these things, and they don’t take one moment for granted.”
High school stays an unforgettable experience. Freshman year, there’s a start with endless possibilities, having just said goodbye to middle school, and senior year it’s time to say goodbye, and soon to have a start full of brand new chances.
“One of the joys of seeing students after they graduate is that in the building, I get to see you all constantly. I see the moments, and I get to be there through the joy and some of the pain. Then after you graduate, you’re just gone, and so that makes it hard to say goodbye,” Bruno said.
Saying goodbye is difficult. It takes courage and acceptance to grant the privilege of moving on to seniors. High school seniors only graduate once, however for the adults in the building, they watch this cycle and relive the goodbyes every year.
The four-year shift in growing up from freshman year to senior year seems unimportant when a student is fourteen. Once they turn eighteen, the realization of how fast it truly went reveals itself.
“I remember spending late nights studying and worrying about tests, and as I look back on the classes, I realize how much I’ve grown as a student and a person,” Gabrielle Silverman said. “I remember my first finals week freshman year when I thought I couldn’t survive four more years of final exams, but I’ve realized I’m capable of far more than I ever thought possible.”
