Meet Eva Hodgson ’18
Eva Hodgson ’18 is entering her third year at New Hampton School and she is thrilled to work alongside Patrick Kramer ’18 and the Student Life Office to act as Student Body Co-President. Eva doesn’t take this responsibility lightly; “My responsibilities will vary from working alongside teachers, faculty, and students to helping coordinate new events, speaking at events, and being someone anyone can approach. I will continue dedicating myself to my books and sports. However, I am also excited to also dedicate myself to the students, making New Hampton the place they want it to be.”
Among her many activities at New Hampton School, Eva serves as a tour guide and ambassador for the Admission Office. Her unique position as a day student who lives across the street from campus allows her to relate to both prospective boarding and day students. “I am a day student while having the perks of being a boarding student. I enjoy everything that happens on campus but have the option to pull back and do my own thing when I need to. It’s given me insight into dorm life because I spend so much time with the girls in O’Connor dorm, but I go home to family and my own space every night.”
Eva was initially nervous about the transition to boarding school as one of seven children and the first to go away to school. “It was scary and new, but also amazing.” At the young age of 17, Eva reflects on boarding school with insight and wisdom. “If you choose to go [to boarding school], you will undoubtedly try new things, like a new sport or participate in a musical. Who knows, maybe you’ll even run for president like I did. Attending boarding school has been one of my life’s greatest adventures,” she says.
Eva plays on the women’s varsity basketball team, she also loves to help out with Registration Day and Orientation welcoming new students. She fondly looks forward to some of New Hampton’s longstanding traditions; Foliage Day, Powder Keg, and Arts Day. This year, she is busy working with Patrick to represent the students of New Hampton School and advocate for student leadership and involvement in many venues.
Meet Patrick Kramer ’18
Co-President, Patrick arrived at New Hampton School from North Carolina. Originally drawn because of the hockey and lacrosse programs, he rapidly assimilated into the all-inclusive nature of boarding school and the many opportunities to grow. He was struck by the academic opportunity presented in a school with a strong academic program and, even as a prospective student, Patrick took note of the close, welcoming community that “won’t leave anybody behind.”
The inclusive nature of the school continues to resonate as Patrick compares New Hampton School to his previous school. “New Hampton School is much smaller than my previous public high school. This means that everyone is involved and no one is left out. It also improves the connections between people and boosts the sense of community.” As Student Body Co-President and a student leader, one of Patrick’s goals is to exercise kindness and know people as individuals within the community. In addition to his role in student government, Patrick is a Proctor in his house, helping around the dorm and resolving conflicts. He also recently initiated a big-brother program to provide support and connection for underclassmen and new students through pairings with junior and senior students.
Each year, Patrick looks forward to the annual fall celebration of Powder Keg which brings the school together through spirited competition and tradition. Arts Day in the spring, which offers a different focus but embraces the same sense of tradition, is another favorite. A serious athlete and student, Patrick is also focused on the opportunity to study, learn and grow highlighting International Baccalaureate (IB) exams as an annual activity that he looks forward to and noting that IB Honors Level History has been his favorite class at New Hampton so far, as he loved the level of discussion and being pushed to see multiple sides of an argument.
Patrick and Eva meet regularly with the Student Life Office and Head of School Joe Williams as they work to plan out the year and impact the student experience in meaningful ways. Together they run school meetings twice each week and have already initiated their own traditions and themes into the school year.
