Seven semesters in the rear view mirror and one more to go. It is really hard to believe that in a few short months DS will be moving out of EHS for the last time. Fortunately for DW and I, DD has two more years. But I must admit I find myself a bit melancholy as commencement weekend fast approaches.
First here is an update from the Holy Hill.
- EHS football lost to WFS, 31-24 but won the IAC conference title, going 6-0 in league play and 9-1 overall.
- Newly renovated student center (Stewart Gym) was unveiled in early December. It is spectacular. Here are some pics. https://www.episcopalhighschool.org/page/news-detail?pk=899089&fromId=190648
- Approximately 15 students out of a class of approximately 110 signed LOI’s to play D1-D3 athletics (mostly D1), including football at Yale, Michigan, Penn State, Lehigh, and Cal Berkeley(LAX) ,
- Congratulation to the Class of 2017. Student acceptances have exceeded expectations. Approximately 1/3 were accepted ED. ED acceptances were to some of the most selective schools; UPenn, Cal-Tech, Cornell, Columbia, Stanford, Harvard, Cambridge, Princeton, Vanderbilt, WSTLU, Michigan (engineering), GTech, Dartmouth, Duke, UNC, UVA, NYU, and Northwestern.
- The Washington Program continues to expand with weekly trips into D.C. and on-campus speakers. More on this later about DS’s experiences.
- Students attended the Presidential Inauguration of the 45th President. Some students did not attend due to security and other concerns.
DS has adjusted well to the pace of senior year academics and leadership responsibilities. Some have said junior year is the toughest. For DS, senior year is by far more difficult. In addition to 7 academic classes (mostly AP - EHS calls them “Advanced”), he meets regularly with the administration and other monitors to discuss the pulse/issues of the school. Between academics, athletics, singing, and head monitor duties, he doesn’t have much free time. But then again, he prefers it that way. Even when we visit, he opts to stay on dorm with his classmates, knowing that his time with his friends is fleeting.
Like him, I find myself taking inventory of the upcoming “last times.” This coming weekend we travel to Richmond to watch the VA State Wrestling Championships. Against our wishes, he returned to wrestling despite two knee operations last year. He’s wearing a brace, so at least it’s stable. But nonetheless, DW and I will exhale after Saturday. He arrived four years ago a novice wrestler. But after four years of hard work (and a terrific coach and teammates) he has found success on the mat. This year he finished second in the conference championships and was named to the all conference (IAC) team. Medals aside, the mat has taught him some of the most important life skills; perseverance, humility, grit, and that you are never ever out of the fight, never.
After wrestling season ends, he’ll jump into Varsity Baseball. This year the team will travel to FL for spring training. He’s been playing since t-ball and come mid-May, I’ll watch him swing the bat for - you guessed it - the last time.
DS continues to find sanctuary by singing in three groups; a Cappella, school choir, and chamber singers. Even though these activities are very time consuming, they are a respite from the school routine. This past Sunday, the school choir performed Evensong at the National Cathedral. Not a bad gig. The Choir will perform at multiple venues in NYC in early April, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral. DW and I will travel down to watch this last tour.
Classes will finish for seniors at the end of April. They will enjoy the month of May in an externship of their interest somewhere in the D.C. area. Some students will travel to Capitol Hill, others will shadow start-ups and non-profits, while other may stay back on campus to do research. DS has expressed an interest in working at the Pentagon or NASA. Not sure what is required to make this happen, but I’m sure the school will do their best to secure a similar opportunity.
I noted above that DS has had some amazing off-campus experiences this year, opportunities that would not have been available if he were not so close to D.C. I cannot emphasize the value of being close to D.C. During the first semester he took an elective course called “9/11 to Now”, taught by the Head of School. This class examined the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon as a launching point to examine a variety of international and domestic issues affecting U.S. policy decisions today. The course further explored background issues leading up to the 9/11 attacks, the development of extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS and other tensions affecting the Middle East, the role that economics, religion, national security, and political pressures can play in current U.S. foreign policy decisions, and the balancing act between maintaining national security and civil liberties in the United States. Each week he had to write a comprehensive policy paper. Primary sources included visits to the Pentagon where he discussed foreign policy decisions with an Army General who commanded forces in Iraq. He also wrote a paper about the attack on the Pentagon where he was fortunate to interview the gentlemen who was responsible for raising funds to build the Pentagon Memorial and lost his brother in the attack. This class, more than any other he studied at EHS, inspired him and that probably is a good thing considering his career objective, which brings me to his college acceptance.