Hebron Review Spring 2017

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SPRING 2017

The Hebron Review 2017 Spring Trimester

Table of Contents

Co-Editors: Evelyn Turnbaugh ’17 Krissy Waite ‘17

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Get Updated An Effective Female Leader Expanding Our Horizons Quietly Showing Empathy The Short Play Festival We Are The Solution Prom

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Hebron is Silver and Gold Science Olympiad The Hanbys: A Dynamic Duo “Why Are You Here?”: A Day Student’s Perspective We are the Jacks Cover Contest Finalists My Hebron Experience

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“A Letter To”

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Layout & Design, Copy Desk: Evelyn Turnbaugh ’17 Krissy Waite ‘17 Cover Photo: Hina Koharazawa ‘19

About the Cover Hina Koharazawa, ’19,is from Japan. Her piece was shown at the 2017 Academic

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Get Updated An Effective Female Leader

By Theresa Gregory ‘18 In America today, the status of women is gradually becoming equal to that of men. However, women of the world are still looked at as less than men when it comes to holding jobs and being leaders in their home countries. At Hebron Academy, one female student stands out for working hard and successfully accomplishing many goals throughout her two years attending the school - Taylor Leech.

Taylor transferred to Hebron during the 2015-2016 school year. She is well-known around campus as the female hockey player who committed to play Division One hockey at the University of Maine at Orono. However, there is much more to her than just the athletic aspects. For instance, Taylor has been on the honor roll every term since she transferred to Hebron, and she was picked to be a proctor for her senior year. She has clearly shown her leadership and contributed to the life on campus.

When senior year began, Taylor made the somewhat frightening decision to run for Class President. She was motivated to run for this position because she understood and empathized with the stress her fellow classmates were feeling, and she wanted to make their year a positive and uplifting experience. After winning the election, Taylor did not take a second to sit back and relax. Her main goal after becoming President was to have fundraisers that were inclusive of the whole class so that everyone would want to participate and raise more money for their senior trip and prom at the end of the year. Also Taylor wanted her fellow classmates--along with the underclassmen--to feel that they were heard and could go to her with ideas to help make Hebron a better place, which is exactly what was accomplished.

Over the year she has helped the senior class raise a large amount of money through fundraising; these successful fundraisers helped the whole school community by lowering prom ticket prices. Enough money was raised to also buy a class gift that will be rewarding and leave a lasting impact on the whole student body.

A hardworking and passionate person, Taylor was motivated to help make Hebron a better place because she understood what the campus needed.

Her main focus was for the senior class to bond and be close as they could be when graduating together at the end of May. When asked if her goal was met, both Taylor and the community at Hebron can proudly say yes. Taylor said, “I feel that as a senior class we have bonded through many activities like Camp Huckins, Career Day, the barbeque fundraiser, and many more. The seniors have a closer bond which is something truly special.”

Not only has Taylor been able to create special senior privileges for the class of 2017, but she has also been able to change prom for the better and send a positive vibe throughout the entire community on campus. At a school that has a higher male population than female, it has been refreshing to see a woman like Taylor not only set high goals for herself but to also achieve them with strength and positivity. She has shown just how powerful women can be, at Hebron and beyond.

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Expanding Our Horizons

By Summer Surgent-Gough ‘17 As the second trimester came to a close, the Honors International Relations class, under the instruction of Timothy Bonis, geared up for their much-anticipated trip to New York City. The trip consisted of a tour of the United Nations building and some free time to explore the wonders of Times Square.

The trip was a roaring success. (Mr. Bonis, impressed and surprised by the fact that no students went missing, stated that it was a “flawless” endeavor.) The class’s United Nations tour couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. All seven students were able to walk through a live committee meeting and even see the room used by the Security Council only an hour prior to their arrival. The night before the tour, the United States had dropped the “Mother of All Bombs” on Afghanistan, furthering the urgency of the Syrian crisis.

While the bombing was an unfortunate coincidence, the International Relations class was able to experience first-hand the effects that arise within the UN walls after such a pressing issue. With international tensions high and wide-eyed students eager to learn, the trip could not have been more worthwhile.

Members of the Hebron International Relations class touring the Security Council room at the UN Headquarters,

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Quietly Showing Empathy

By Peyton Spurr ‘19 Growing up in a small community, I was taught that empathy was the best policy. In my house arguments with my three brothers were a daily occurrence. After the tears dried, we would be told to sit down to talk things out. Usually, the fight started with one of us not thinking before we spoke and making a comment that hurt the other sibling’s feelings. When my parents sat us down, they challenged us to “walk a mile in their shoes.” When we were little we would sit there and look up at them like they had three heads, but as we grew up we understood the true meaning of their message. Looking at the bigger picture, I do not know everything about everyone I encounter each day. This challenges me to treat everyone how I want to be treated. The polite thing to do when you are walking by another person is to look up from your electronic device and wave and or say “Hi! How are you?” Little do you know they could be having a subpar day and you just made their day much better by doing something that cost you nothing and made them feel like you are there for them.

The Day of Silence is a world renown day celebrated on April 21 of every year. This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the people who feel like they cannot speak because of their sexuality or gender.

Although I cannot fully understand the reason to this because of the safe space Hebron has provided me, I can educate my peers and contribute by participating in the Day of Silence. On this day, everyone is invited to walk a mile in someone’s shoes. These are people who have been abused, are questioning their gender or sexuality, people who do not feel like they have a safe space to express them self, and so many more. On this day, people who choose to participate are challenged to not talk so the impact it has on everyone can be seen and felt.

This year, the GSTA of Hebron challenged the whole community to participate in the Day of Silence.

If someone chose to be silent we issued them a card with the sentence “Please understand my reasons for not speaking today.” Although the day was cloudy, the rainbow flag blowing in the wind lit up the sky. Rainbow tshirts with the logo “Gay, Straight, Celebrate!” with a unicorn emblem on it were sold to members of the community. When classes finally disbursed for the day, people gathered at the Victory Bell to break the silence with a final ring. Staying quiet to show empathy for those who feel silenced was a challenge but an important one. “Think about the voices you are not hearing.”

Members of the Hebron Community showing their support of the Day of Silence and the Hebron GSTA.

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The Short Play Festival

By Bradley Spurl ‘18

This year the event formerly known as “One Acts” is called the Short Play Festival. This event has been a long standing tradition among the students at Hebron Academy. It is where the students can take the lead to pick or create short skits of their own or choose an existing dramatic work to perform. It is always exciting when spring rolls around and people begin talking about the Short Play Festival. This year there were twenty-seven actors performing eight unique and engaging works. The Short Play Festival was held in the Science Lecture Hall and since all the actors are students, the audience was packed with numerous friends and family.

We Are the Solution

By Lan Pham ‘18 There have been days when I want to turn off all electronics and stop reading any newspapers. I don’t want to read how chaotic the world is anymore. Still, I cannot ignore it and am left to wonder how the lives of all the innocent North Korean civilians are going to be, what solution would be the best for Syria right now, or what the Greek government should do for its financial debt. Other than political problems, we are also facing hundreds of natural disasters along with the overarching problem of global warming every year. What can we do to protect the environment? How can we reduce the release of carbon dioxide each year? Or how can we take care of hundreds of homeless people after a tsunami? Those are only a few in all the questions that people are looking for the solutions to nowadays. I tried to think about these problems myself, but it is much more interesting and effective when discussing among a group of friends. That is also the reason why the United Nations was created, so that countries can come together and find the most reasonable answer for a problem. With that in mind, I wanted to create a club at Hebron, where we, as students, can do the same thing on a global scale: Model UN.

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Prom from Two Points of View

By Emily Thomspon ‘17 “Prom is for nerds and squares, as soon as you’re old enough to go it’s so not cool anymore.” Juno MacGuff hits the nail on the head, except for one thing: she did not attend Hebron Academy. In my experience, last year’s prom was the living embodiment of Juno’s opinion. A lot of high expectations clashed head-on with the reality of fairy lights in a barn with holes big enough for your heels to slip through the floor. Tickets were over-priced and the lemonade watery. Many people wanted to move on to their post-prom plans as soon as they finished taking pictures on the shoe-sinking lawn. All these factors were not something the committee could have foreseen. This year, every careful measure possible has been taken to ensure that everyone has a great time. The venue has been meticulously looked over, the menu items thoroughly debated, the music choice rigorously thought through. But what other things did the current prom committee fail to anticipate? What disastrous event will happen this year? What pieces will fall apart? You see, there is no way to answer these questions. The only way is to move on with the night and handle each obstacle as it comes.

The most important piece that has the power to make or break the night is the attitude of the students who attend. Last year perhaps if the guests had stepped out of their limos with a brighter outlook on the night it would have been more enjoyable all around. This year the committee is trying to surround the event with positivity and good expectations.

By Makenzie Nainiger ‘17 “Prom is for nerds and squares, as soon as you’re old enough to go it’s so not cool anymore.” My sentiments exactly, Juno MacGuff (if you don’t get this reference you’re too young). My notion of prom this year was that it would be tired and played out, much like I was. Senior year has a tendency to lurch along slowly, and by the time you reach the end, the last thing you want to do is put on a fake eyelashes, a dress, and sky-high heels (is it different for males? I’ll never know) and dance with people you won’t remember in twenty years. My idea of a good time would be renting a movie and staying in for the night with my mom (I know, I know, my life is exhilarating).

But whenever I mention my disdain for the notion of slipping on my dancing shoes for yet another exhausting night of boogying, my friends insist on my attendance. Nothing about the concept of prom excites me, I tell them.

But, if I am anything, I am a sucker for my friends.

See, contrary to popular belief, peer pressure isn’t necessarily always a bad thing. I skipped Hebron prom last year and went to another school’s, and to my dismay I returned to my dorm room to find that my disgruntled friends had eaten all my Ramen, left makeup on my desk, and slept in my bed (without making it again, thank you very much). My friends were more than upset that I hadn’t been there to do hair and makeup (is makeup-challenged a thing? I feel like that should be a thing) and more upset that I hadn’t been there for their first proms.

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Prom continued…

Trying to bring it back to its roots, we’ve brought in voting for prom king and queen, a hired DJ, a Facebook page for the girls to share their dresses and support each other, and several contests to win free tickets. We’ve also tried to create a little more excitement by hosting prom on a bay cruise in the Old Port. As long as the students stay positive and try to enjoy the experience, there is nothing stopping this year from being locked in our memories as one of the best nights of our high school experience.

I didn’t really have a way of justifying my skipping their first proms other than the fact that I didn’t want to go to another Hebron prom, which (apparently) was not a valid enough excuse. Did I regret not going? No. Did I regret not being there for my friends? Absolutely.

By the time you get to be a senior, prom isn’t about getting dressed up, it’s not about your date, it’s not about dancing or the venue or promposals. The novelty of all those things wears off and they stop being important. By the time you get old enough to actually go to prom, it’s less about prom and more about the people in attendance. It’s about the people you choose to have dance alongside you, the people you have standing at the mirror next to you while you apply mascara and trade lipstick. Prom is about the people you get to be with. It’s the last chance you’ll have to dance with your friends before you all graduate and go on to bigger and better dances, farther and farther apart.

So while I may sit at my laptop and groan at the notion of another prom dress I have to struggle to zip up and the gorgeous shoes I will be taking off an hour into the night, I know that I would take all that to have one last amazing night, dancing alongside some of these people for the last time ever.

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Hebron Is Silver and Gold

By Dylan Richmond ‘18

Some may spend multiple days working on their pieces, while others spend entire nights; nevertheless, their hard work paid off. Sometime later, perhaps months later, after they had long forgotten about their submission, in the midst of the harsh winter season, when all seemed lost, they found themselves on a list of the Maine Scholastic Writing and Art Awards. Founded in 1923, the Maine Scholastic Writing and Art Awards aims to celebrate, recognize, and offer scholarships to talented writers and artists of America’s youth. This year, Hebron tallied a grand total of thirty-six art and writing awards, eleven for writing and twenty-five for art. Of the thirty-six, twelve won honorable mentions, fourteen won Silver Keys, and last, but certainly not least, a whopping ten Gold Keys were awarded to Hebron students.

One artist in particular stood out from the rest. Five time Gold Key, one time Silver Key, three time Honorable Mention as well as American Visions Nominee winner Eli Clein stole the show with his tremendous work. His “Icarus,” “Communication” portfolio, and four other individual works won him eight Gold Keys as well as a nomination for American Visions Award. Of course, Eli was not the only one to represent the school so well. Roger Kim’s “Angst,” Haohan Tang’s “Clouds,” Krissy Waite’s article “Keeping Chemicals off the Menu: Aspartame,” and my own personal essay “Driver’s License” all were awarded Gold Keys.

However, let us not forget who made this all possible. Without the many outstanding teachers who pushed these talented young men and women, none of these accomplishments would be possible.

Hebron provides a uniqueness that enables students to accomplish many great things; moreover, know that those long strenuous hours were not spent in vain.

“Love Me Right” Alaina Bonis ‘20

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“Lucy” Eli Clein ‘17

Science Olympiad

By Jeremy Xue ’18 and YingQiao Wang ‘18 Science Olympiad is a nationwide STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) competition. It provides a platform for students to pursue their interests in science. By solving problems mathematically and technologically in twenty-three fields, K-12 students have experience of working as real scientists and engineers. The events include physical science and chemistry, earth and space science, social science, and hands-on engineering. As a list the events were; Ecology, Invasive Species, Microbe Mission, Anatomy and Physiology, Disease Detectives, Hovercraft, Wind Power, Materials Science, Optics, Forensics, Chemistry Lab, Hydrogeology, Game On, Write It Do It, Experimental Design, Electric Vehicle, Robot Arm, Towers, Helicopters, Rocks and Minerals, Remote Sensing, Dynamic Planet, and Astronomy.

The year of 2017 was a remarkable year for Hebron Academy. Our Science Olympiad team was founded in January and placed fourth out of eighteen in our first year. The prizes the teams won were small steps for the individuals, but giant leaps for the team and school. Since the competition was established, three teams from two schools have dominated all the events. However, our newborn science team not only defeated fourteen older teams, but also challenged the invincible dominance of the three top teams. Such great achievements were the best rewards for the hard work of everyone on our team.

The beginning is always the hardest. When the team was first established, students chose one primary event and one secondary event to compete in based on their interest and capabilities. After that, students focused on their specific events by making plans and prototypes. The rules of engineering events were extremely complicated. The coaches and team members spent days carefully reading the competition policies to meet the requirements. Without any previous experience, our team had to rely on information from outside resources, and begin to create our own notes.

Students had practice every day. They could also do hybrid practice with their winter sports. For the engineering events, we had late practice every Monday and Thursday night. During late practice, students spent two hours focusing on building and troubleshooting. At the end of practice, we tested all the prototypes and discussed the better solutions and modifications. The crews worked efficiently with their hearts and minds.

The event we focused on was the robot arm. This was an event that required students to build a robot arm that can pick up five stacks of pennies with ten pennies on each stack. The stacks were located on all four corners of a target, and with the robot arm the objective was to flip and lay all of the pennies into the center of the target, one by one, in under two minutes. This was a hard event, because it required extremely high precision and accuracy on both robot arm and control panel (programming). For a robot arm to perform this function, we selected one that can turn 180 degree and has five servos, which means that it has five joints that can imitate a human’s arm to pick up the stacks of pennies. The most important part was the gripper, which acts like a hand. Its job was to flip the pennies and lay them down one by one.

This was the hardest part to make for this whole event because we needed to make a gripper that can pick up and lay down the pennies really fast. We have been thinking about it for literally one week, then we finally seized a clue that can help us make a good gripper. We made a cylindrical gripper and divided it into two parts. Both parts were semi-cylindrical, and one part had a thin space at the end that could fit a penny through it. The other part had thin plastic at the same end that could push the penny. So, when we moved the arms to approach the pennies, the cylindrical gripper could fit in the pennies, and when flipped, the pennies would slide down.

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When we finished assembling the robot arm and handcrafting the gripper, we started to test and troubleshoot it. We found that this arm worked as intended, but we had some problems with calibration. We could not calibrate the arm to a consistent position every time, so our program would not work as intended if the parameter of this arm changed. This problem is the one we did not solve, which caused us obtain a result at the competition that was not ideal.

Fortunately, we will have a much better robot arm next year with nearly zero errors on calibration and will work more efficiently and quickly. In addition to the robot arm, we will also have better materials for other engineering events such as helicopter, electric vehicle, and conceptual test.

Our Science Olympiad team finished the competition strong as a first-year attendant, with one gold in Ecology, one silver in Material Science, three bronze in Chemistry Lab, Optics, and Towers. We have faith that we will win more events next year, or even proceed to the national level. We hope there will be more students that join us so we can compete with other schools while representing Hebron Academy, and ultimately help our own Science Olympiad team become stronger.

L-R, front row: Dazhen (Daniel) Chen, YingQiao Wang, Lan Pham, Louisa Ellis, Addy Mainville, Jiawen (Wendy) Xu, Haomeng (Cara) Hu, Coach/Dr. Daniella Swenton L-R, Back Row: Coach Ben Nadeau, Mengfei (Andy) Wang, Dexuan (Tom) Tang, Zefang (James) Fu, Zhihao Wang, Guangyuan (Jeremy) Xue, Evelyn Turnbaugh, Ziyi Wu, Lewei (Eric) Tang

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The Hanbys: A Dynamic Duo

By Michael Tahiru ‘18

It is track season again, and not only are people eager to go on the track after a long winter, but we can also see a rejuvenation in the track team after it was announced that Mr. and Mrs. Hanby are adding their leadership and expertise to the team. Everyone already knew that more discipline was going to be instilled in the team. They began by making us learn a new cheer for the track team and also incorporating new stretching exercises like hip crossovers, hip rotations, bird dogs, scorpions, tarsal rotation, no-money stretch, take me to your leader stretch, squats, lunges, and push-ups just to make us stronger and better athletes.

There is an attitude and dedication among the members of the team which makes success inevitable.

We have made it a goal to win back the MAISAD championship and also do well in the New England championship this year. By setting these standards, we hold each other accountable during our practices. You will usually hear “Keep quiet, thank you, Sir” even at the sound of a pin drop or “warming up our bodies not our mouths” when people start complaining as a result of tiredness. With the dedication and immense talent on the team, we are certainly not far from accomplishing our goals.

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“Why Are You Here?”: A Day Student’s Perspective

By Madeline New ‘18

Did you know that there are 80 day students out of 258 kids at Hebron? We are full participants in the life of the school during the day, and we often have obligations in the evenings and the weekends. However, boarding students sometimes either look at us as not part of the “entire” Hebron experience, or they don’t realize some of the special circumstances that can make the day-student life challenging. Some of the biggest obstacles day students face are the commute, exclusion from social circles, missing out on trips, and an inability to fully enjoy senior privileges.

The average day student drives 52 minutes to get to school. They wake up around 6:30 and most don’t get home until 9:00 P.M. Throughout the day they participate in 5 to 6 classes, a game, practice, meetings, and much more. Then after their day is done at school they drive another 52 minutes back home to then work on two to three hours of homework. Many day students go to bed around 12:00 to 1:30 in the morning. One student wakes up at 4:30 to get to school at 5:30 A.M. and then doesn’t leave school until 10:00 P.M. According to the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center, the average teen needs 8 to 9 hours of sleep. This is essential for having success in school and athletics. 1 in 4 students fall asleep during class at some point which can lead to grades dropping.

Sometimes, however, day students stay late by choice, and have been called out on it. Many boarding students do not realize that when we are hanging out with our friends and then are suddenly called out with the infamous question “Why are you here?”, total embarrassment sets in, even though we are all just as much part of this school as you are. Many people do not recognize that a lot of our friends live on campus. And I don’t know anyone who doesn't like to hang out with their friends. All day students are asking for is not to be asked why we are here and to not be given a hard time.

Some day students feel that although the weekend trips are open to anyone we are not all welcomed. We feel that we would be taking away from a boarder or again be asked why we are even on the trip, because everyone knows that day students have all the time in the world to go anywhere and do anything. When on a trip even I ask myself why I am here because it just doesn’t feel right because of the expectation we have all created.

The final thing that I will write about is the senior privileges. Don’t get me wrong, the seniors are very lucky with the privileges they have; jeans can be worn on Fridays, check-in on the weekends are at 11:30, students are allowed in each others common rooms and there is no study hall. But they really only benefit boarders. The only thing that day students benefit from is the jeans on Friday, which was not even one of the privileges in previous years.

The one thing I hope that all boarders understand is that if you see day students around, please don’t question our presence here. There is always a reason, even if it's just to hang out. I hope that you just take a second to think about our daily routines in comparison to yours. Day student routines may be different, but at the end of the day we all walk around and study on the same campus and in the same buildings. Day students have their perks as well as boarders having theirs and both have equal downsides, so let’s both appreciate the perks we have because the expectations of all of us will remain the same.

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We are the Jacks

By Ben English ‘18

What do the Shang, the New England Patriots, and the Hebron Academy Men’s Junior Varsity Lacrosse team all have in common? They are all dynasties. Over the years the Hebron “JV Lax” team has been one of the most successful teams on campus. Consistently powering by teams like Gould, Hyde and Kents Hill on a yearly basis, a MAISAD title has become an expectation, not a goal. The team also has more competitive games and even beats out conference powerhouses like Proctor, White Mountain School, and Berwick. So far this season, the team is 5-1 on the year, with their only loss coming at the hands of Proctor in their first game of the season.

Along with a strictly-business attitude on the playing field, the team keeps the atmosphere upbeat and exciting on the practice field and around campus. Christian Quinones, a junior and a veteran on the team, talked to me about the relationship of the kids on the team: “At the beginning of the season, we start as teammates. By the end, we are brothers. We create such unique bonds and memories that we are going to be forever linked through them.”

The team keeps the morale high by cracking jokes, bonding off the field, and working together as a team.

Oliver Jaques, a freshman on the team, said, “Winning is a lot of fun, but winning while having a good time with a bunch of your friends is even better. I love going down to the field every day to play some lax with the boys.

There’s never a dull moment, especially with Coach Mid and Coach Flynn leading the troops.”

The Hebron Academy JV Lax team continues its quest for yet another MAISAD title in the MAISAD Tournament starting on May 17th. Go Jacks!

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Cover Photo Finalists!

Haomeng “Cara” Hu ‘19

Rivers Hinson ‘17

Haomeng “Cara” Hu ‘19

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My Hebron Experience

By Carlo Kobe ‘19

My name is Carlo Kobe and I am from Hamburg, Germany. As an Assist Student, I have had the pleasure of spending one year here at Hebron Academy - a year which became the most interesting, actionpacked, and sometimes challenging of my life. A year in which I learned more about myself than ever before.

When I first heard from Assist that I would be attending Hebron Academy in Maine, I immediately looked it up on Google Maps. Although I was astonished at how remote Hebron was, I really only realized the true isolation when I first arrived here on August 20th. In my memories from previous trips to Maine, I only remembered glamorous coastal towns and beautiful nature. I was not familiar with the gigantic sea of trees, which 90% of Maine seems to consist of. At that time, I could have never imagined the diversity and vividness this place embodies.

The first weeks here in Hebron were the fastest paced weeks in my life and included probably the biggest adjustments to a new living space I ever had. Never in my life have I introduced myself to so many people in such a short amount of time or experienced so many unfamiliar things in just a day. Although it was different, the situation was not completely unfamiliar to me since I did several exchanges before and traveled quite a bit. But the perspective of staying for a year changed the atmosphere. Although it was truly exhausting, it felt like I had a giant wave of adrenalin carrying me all the way to Thanksgiving break.

Memorable experiences during that time are countless, but the ones created by the incredible diversity on campus certainly stand out. I had the pleasure of being introduced to a variety of different cultures, trying out authentic snacks, or learning about their world views. In return, I had the pleasure to introduce others to my culture, and together we created a welcoming and multicultural society. Walking through the dorm was more like walking from country to country than through a building in the forest of Maine. Every time you opened a new door, you saw a different culture, and interesting conversations followed.

Coming from a public school in Germany, the biggest adjustment I had to make academically was to get used to the small class sizes. Never in my life had I gotten that much attention from teachers, including knowing my name even before I entered the class (that always took five weeks in Germany). Also new for me was the ability to design my own schedule and therefore challenge myself, which kept things interesting.

Another side effect of it was that I felt watched more closely than ever before, and therefore I tried to give my utmost at everything I did. Everything was so new that even staying up until 1:00 am to finish all the work was exciting. Although the fast pace was extremely fun, it was hard to concentrate on developing close relationships.

It took me until October to finally have a daily routine and to know what was expected in any given situation. Although having a routine certainly gave me some time and room, it also started a period of a little depression. Don’t misunderstand me, I still had lots of fun, but the excitement high from the beginning started to leave. It was challenging to carry on with the same intensity level. Sadly, it seems to be a natural occurrence that humans at some point get used to things and forget to appreciate what they have. It turned out that the daily routine at Hebron is much different from the Hebron I got to know at the beginning. With the slower pace, I had some more energy to concentrate, build relationships and to get to know people on a deeper level. Being somewhat of an academic freak, I now felt comfortable with the given tasks, which might have once again raised the quality of my work, but also lacked the excitement. I also had built relationships with my teachers to an unknown-to-me level.

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In my memories, November and December were the months in which I truly found myself. I was familiar with my Hebron identity and I started to have time to think. I thought about how I want to remember this year. I made some tweaks, and by the beginning of the new year, I found the old excitement back. I realized how much I will miss this place, with its beauty, people, opportunities, and changing vibes.

In an attempt to bring back the excitement of the beginning, I continued to take all opportunities that were available to me. I tried out a lot of new things, and took real advantage of what Hebron has to offer, academically and extracurricularly. Some of these activities I will certainly try to keep at after returning to Germany.

Another interesting thing I started to notice was that it felt hard to relate to my old life in Germany again, and when I was faced with a decision that had something to do with back in my other home, it felt as unfamiliar as Hebron felt at the beginning. I was so integrated into this life in Hebron--which seems like my whole world in a place with 500 people--that it was and still is unimaginable to think about studying and living somewhere else.

While being here I realized more about my friendships back at home: I learned who truly cared and whom I truly missed. All of that realization will be really valuable when I go back.

Another first for me was to play sports on a school team. Since school sports don’t really exist in Germany, I never before had the privilege to play sports together with my classmates and peers. I was motivated to try to represent our school in the best way possible. I learned new sports, such as golf and lacrosse, and improved others like skiing. The ability to ski every day is something I will certainly miss at home. Outstanding was the amount of trust I developed in my coaches, who truly seem to care even about someone who might not be the frontrunner of the team.

My time at Hebron was and is truly life-changing. I have formed friendships with people from all over the world, which I will never want to miss again, and found a new level of excitement for academics. I have had fun on a daily basis, living with my peers and creating memories that will stay with me forever. I became more independent, learned about myself, became fluent in another language, and became a true world citizen.

“One of the great opportunities I have experienced here at Hebron was a trip with the International Relations class to visit the United Nations in New York.� Carlo Kobe

Left to Right: Rivers Hinson, Garret Brennan, Carlo Kobe, Lily Xu, Victoria DeCoster, Summer Surgent-Gough, Makenzie Nainiger

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“A Letter To”

By Krissy Waite ‘17

Dear Faculty, As graduation draws closer, tension and excitement linger in the air around the seniors and PG’s like static. Among these electric emotions, a sense of reflection and nostalgia nudge at our excited and eager minds. In these final weeks, it’s safe to say we have all been asked the question, “What will you miss the most?” which leads us to contemplate our time here. For some of us it might be the fall and spring nights sitting on the bridge with close friends, or the satisfying crunch and swoosh of the legendary Hebron ice under skates, and for others maybe the long, peaceful hours spent in the art center. However, it’s safe to say that for most of us, it’s ‘who’ rather than what impacted us greatly. Teachers and faculty of Hebron Academy, we will miss you the most.

Many of us have at least one, some of us more, faculty member whose room we could walk into at any time with any problem and leave feeling as if the weight of our problems, stresses, or conflicts has been dissolved. Instead of ridiculing or judging our mistakes, you’ve helped us reflect on them. Through this comfortable closeness, you’ve gone beyond your duties as a teacher or as faculty and took it one step further: you became our mentors. Mentors who not only cared about our grades and test scores, but who helped us shape and reach our goals and aspirations. Mentors who cared about our mental health and heard us out instead of dismissing us when conflicts occurred. Through you, we’ve had a voice and were given the belief that our own thoughts and ideas mattered.

By teaching us in and outside of the classroom, you have passed on knowledge that applies to more than just your subject. You have taught us that through simple conversation, we can overcome almost anything. So, faculty of Hebron Academy, on behalf of the class of 2017, thank you. Thank you for encouraging us when doubt filled our own minds, for supporting us when our own legs shook, and giving us confidence when our own heads hung.

For many of us, Hebron is not “home away from home” without you. You alone make Hebron more than just a school. You make it… Hebron.

We will miss the Hebron we know, The Class of 2017

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Hebron Academy 339 Paris Rd, Hebron, ME 04238

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