Each Husky Weekend offers something a little different. It’s a combination of what you might think of move-in days and orientation and the first day of school. At its core, it is time to spend together with your class and community. You’ll learn the village if you’re new; you’ll find a fresh tone if you’re returning. As always, it’s time to get to know each other, to bond, to dig deeper, and set intentions. With this year’s school-year theme of “Many Voices, One Community” we find a calling to listen, to speak, and to grow our character as a community.
A Night Under the Stars
Following the rush of registration and moving into their houses for the first time, our ninth grade class heads into the woods of nearby Burleigh Mountain for an outdoor experience focused on just them. Leaving the upperclassmen behind and led by many faculty, the evening unfolds with setting up tents, outdoor cooking (and eating!), ice-breakers, games, stories, songs, treats, and laughter around the campfire. This time together helps start their journey in a meaningful way. A common experience to remember throughout their upcoming years at New Hampton—a night just for them.
Enjoying the Lakes and Mountains
On Saturday of Husky Weekend, our sophomores, juniors, and seniors prepare for trips of their own. Sophomores head to Camp Wanakee for ropes course challenges and games, while seniors launch off on boats to get to the island-bound Camp Mayhew for their class excursion. Juniors load up on buses for an excursion into Franconia Notch, climbing the trail to Artist’s Bluff—one of the most photographed views in New England—and then picnicking and relaxing the afternoon away beneath the verdant face of Cannon Mountain. Soon, it is time for all Huskies to return to campus and spend an evening together with all classes and faculty.
Many Voices, One Community: Convocation 2024
At the end of the weekend, it’s time to switch our mindsets to the scholarly side of school life. Believing that we should begin as we mean to go on, Convocation sets the tone for the academic year. We reflect on our core values—respect and responsibility—our mission, and our school theme for the year. We hear from school leadership, both faculty and students. We reflect on our place in history. And to end it all, we take our formal all-school photo, as we’ve done for generations of students. We know that on Monday, a whole new start takes place in the classrooms, and the wonder of knowledge ignites new conversations and explorations.
This year’s Convocation celebrated purpose and excellence. We welcomed three new members of the Cum Laude Society: Robert “Beau” Jarvis, Adam Rizk, and Anqi “Angel” Zhao.
Our student body co-presidents shared inspirational themes in their words. First, Reagan Comora ’25 reflected on the community theme and her personal experience as a freshmen from New York heading off to camp with her class for the first night. With a backpack and a sleeping bag at her side, she met her advisory group for the first time. And while she felt they had little in common, discovered during their hike up Burleigh Mountain that they had “a bit more in common than we though, and when we made it to the top, I started to feel a bit less alone.” The months that followed found new friendships and many excursions outside of her comfort zone. It was these things that helped New Hampton School feel like a home, as it has for many others.
“This year, we aim to unite our voices, lift one another up, and make everyone feel they are an important voice within our community. You were called to New Hampton for a reason, and I hope you will find the confidence to be who you really are and share your gift with us. Let’s not get lost within our classes and co-curriculars. Let us continue to be one strong community. Let us continue to be a united New Hampton.”
Matteo Vecchione ’25, also a four-year senior, welcomed all the returning and new students, citing the excitement of the new school year and the enduring spirit of the New Hampton community. He focused on sharing advice from many friends and classmates before him. Whether it is pushing “yourself to be the best version of you” or to “experience something you’ve never done before,” Vecchione urged his classmates to see the bigger picture. Noting how Mr. Williams would notably say that the days here are long, but the years are quick, he found truth in the words as he became a senior. He also took time to reflect on a lesson from his first year.
“A teacher my freshman year would often ask me a question after practice or at dinner, ‘What have you done to make somebody’s day better today?’ I quickly realized that the act could be as small as helping somebody up during practice, holding the door, or talking to somebody you don’t usually talk to. Being asked that question day after day made me realize that even something you think is a small act, can make a large difference in somebody’s day.”
Our featured convocation speaker this year, Jake Moore, who aptly shared about the timeless challenges of being a teenager with stories from his own time in high school and college and the sense of community that gathers around you as you meet more and more people. To find friendships and a support system in every area of our lives.
“I want you to take a second to think to yourself about the people you turn to when life gets challenging. No doubt you are thinking of important people in your life—the list can be long. Now look around. You have just spent a few days getting to know some of the people that will make up your support system both here at New Hampton and in the years beyond. For many of you who are new to the school, though you may not realize it, you have made some connections that will become very important to you as you get acclimated to a new environment. For those of you returning to New Hampton, you have no doubt already met some people that will add to your support system and make your experiences here richer and more meaningful.”
Mr. Moore shared a vision of the people you meet, the roles they play at the school, and what it is to have a community around you as you grow and venture away from New Hampton School in the years to come. He implored students to be open to meeting new friends, to give each other the all important chance to grow together.
“You can put yourself into a lot of different categories. You are students, athletes, artists, scholars, global citizens, siblings, progeny, friends, and infinite other classifications. For each group you belong to, there are people who you can turn to when life’s obstacles arise. And they will arise. As we embark on this new school year, carry with you the knowledge that you are not alone. You have a network of people who believe in you, who support you, and who are cheering you on.”
—
Congratulations to all of our students and faculty on beginning a new academic year. With meaningfulness and purposeful action on our side, there is nothing we can’t accomplish.
Images from registration, orientation, and Convocation are available on Flickr. Convocation is also available to replay on NHS Live.
