Hyde has a tradition of creating moments of action and then taking time to reflect on that action. We call this the Action/Reflection Cycle. One of these moments is the weekly school meeting. Every Thursday afternoon, we gather to reflect on world events, listen to students and faculty share thoughts, and evaluate how the community is running. Over the last few weeks, we have focused on the Five Words and Five Principles that are at the core of Hyde's education.
In the first meeting, students and faculty stood up to share their thoughts on the Five Words and to mention mentors who modeled the Words. Some of the comments included:
"My stepfather taught me the value of integrity and while I did not appreciate it as a teenager, I live my life with this core value."
"It took courage to come here and leave my family to embrace the challenges for my future."
"Curiosity was something my mother always pushed in us and her drive to learn had a real impact on me."
Last week, the Principles were highlighted. As in most of our school gatherings, there are plenty of inspirational moments where students and faculty share their thoughts and feelings. The following is an excerpt from a Hyde Junior who reflected on Humility.
“I think being humble and trying to have a humble mentality when going into anything is very important. As a kid, I used to go to basketball camps with Al McClain '80, and he used to tell my mom that I was humble. He liked me for that and took to me because of it. He told me to remain that way. I feel like as a basketball player on the court you have to be a little arrogant, but it is important to always find that balance between yourself and your teammates. Being humble to me is to not think too highly of yourself and that doesn’t mean you don’t have confidence in yourself, but just don’t come off as arrogant.
Back in April when I couldn’t walk, I was in a wheelchair. My older brother came up to Boston from California to help out with me and my mom. We talked a lot while I was laying in bed, and humility came up in our talk. It was a humbling experience for me to have to be in a wheelchair or crutches when I was out in public. What I learned from that was not to be afraid to ask questions or ask for help because you feel like it may make you less than or inferior. Because as fast as you can feel like you're at the top of the world and have everything, it can all be taken away from you. Always be willing to learn. Practice humility. Be humble.” Eli '26
Wise words from our students who always inspire learning!
Laura D. Gauld '76
President