--- title: Making a Great Year description: Making a Great Year image: https://info.taboracademy.org/hs-fs/file-3800615930-jpg/blog-files/bride-headshot.jpg --- [Tabor Login](https://www.taboracademy.org/app) [![Tabor Academy](https://info.taboracademy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Tabor_Academy_August2017%20Theme/Images/master-logo.png?width=680&name=master-logo.png "Tabor Academy")](https://www.taboracademy.org) - [Inquire](https://www.taboracademy.org/admissions/inquire) - [Give](https://www.taboracademy.org/community/support) - [![myTA](https://info.taboracademy.org/hubfs/Tabor_Academy_August2017%20Theme/Images/large_link930751_80723.png)](https://taboracademy.myschoolapp.com/app/) [myTA](https://taboracademy.myschoolapp.com/app/) Search - Menu Item 1 - Sub-menu Item 1 - Another Item - Sub-menu Item 2 - Menu Item 2 - Yet Another Item - Menu Item 3 - Menu Item 4 # [TABORTALK BLOG](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog) #### Making a Great Year Posted by [ksaltonstall](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/author/ksaltonstall) on Sep 14, 2015 9:26:26 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) by Mel Bride, Dean of Students[![Bride Headshot](https://info.taboracademy.org/hs-fs/file-3800615930-jpg/blog-files/bride-headshot.jpg?width=135&height=248&name=bride-headshot.jpg)](https://info.taboracademy.org/hs-fs/file-3800615930-jpg/blog-files/bride-headshot.jpg) “It’s going to be a great year!” I cannot count the number of times I have said (and heard) this phrase in the past week. Students are refreshed after a good, long summer full of jobs, camps, family time, community service, college visits, travel, summer reading, connections with friends, new and old. I feel tremendous energy from the students this year, and, to be honest, I think I speak for most boarding school teachers when I say that feeling the student energy at the start of a new year is indeed intoxicating. It is part of why we return year after year to this rewarding (albeit sometimes exhausting) iteration of this great profession. But as I reflect on this phrase, I begin to see that it is too passive. Think about it. Who specifically is responsible for us looking back in June and proclaiming, “It was a great year!”? Can a great year just happen by itself? Of course not. In fact, without all of us here, in this beautiful place, altogether, for these next nine months, it could never be a great year. It couldn’t be a bad year. Or even an ok year. None of it would happen without us. [![20150913_114630_resized](https://info.taboracademy.org/hs-fs/file-3800615940-jpg/blog-files/20150913_114630_resized.jpg?width=300&height=197&name=20150913_114630_resized.jpg)](https://info.taboracademy.org/hs-fs/file-3800615940-jpg/blog-files/20150913_114630_resized.jpg) So, how do we guarantee that this hopeful and much anticipated year ahead is indeed *GREAT*? I think it has to start with each one of us bringing our unique selves to the table. Each one of us is here for a reason. We all bring diverse talents, senses of humor, interests, fears, insecurities, ideas, and passions to Tabor. And the combination of those things will never again exist in the same way. Inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead, we need to humbly and generously share our energy, our ideas, our passions, and our support for one another on a daily basis and with intention, going out of our way to add our piece to the puzzle. As individuals and as a community, we are responsible for shaping and defining the year we have together. So, let’s take on the start of school with the knowledge that it is we who have been granted the exciting opportunity to *MAKE* it a great year. ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Tabor Academy (94)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/tabor-academy) - [Student Life (57)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/student-life) - [College Counseling (47)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/college-counseling) - [Alumni (44)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/alumni) - [Faculty News (25)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/faculty-news) - [Academics (21)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/academics) - [Admissions (21)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/admissions) - [Senior Projects (20)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/senior-projects) - [Service Learning (20)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/service-learning) - [Athletics (18)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/athletics) - [The Arts (18)](https://info.taboracademy.org/blog/topic/the-arts) - 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