As 2016 draws to a close, we thought we'd take some time to reflect on all that's happened over the year at Tabor. Here are the top ten most read blog posts from TaborTalk:
#1 Saying Farewell to the Muthers
2016 was the year that the Muthers said goodbye to Tabor, after many combined decades of time here. Steve Sughrue and Mary Kate McCain delivered moving remarks at an all school assembly at the end of the last academic year, which you can read in the full post here.
#2 A 24/7 Living, Learning Community
Baxter House Parent and English Teacher Lauren Boucher wrote about dorm life at Tabor, and how she works to build a community each year in her dorm. "In many ways we're like a family; we understand the importance of helping each other, spending time together, learning from each other, and most importantly, having fun." Read the full post here.
#3 Once a Seawolf, Always a Seawolf
Tabor alum Schuyler Hemmerdinger '08 gave us an update on his career in the music industry. He wrote, "Thinking back on it I guess a lot of things about my life have changed since graduation (hair length, preferred method of transportation, etc.), but there has always been one thing that remained constant – there has been a Seawolf beside me every time I look around." Read the full post here.
#4 Building a Dorm Community
Student proctor Samii Figueroa '17 wrote about her experience arriving early to school for a week of training to build inclusive dorm communities and a positive campus culture. She wrote, "I remember when I first moved into Tabor. My mom was just about getting ready to say bye to me when I met, Caleigh, one of my proctors. I remember her making me feel welcomed and as if everything was going to be okay. Now as a proctor I hope to make people feel the same." Read her complete post here.
#5 1000 Leagues Across the Sea: North Atlantic Ocean Row
Cindy Way '92 shared her plans to attempt to become the first American woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean. She attempted the journey to "inspire others to get out of their office cubicles and realize their dreams, as well as be role models to inspire the next generation to achieve greatness!" While unfortunately her boat ran into some difficulties along the way and she was unable to complete the row, her story is still an inspiring display of courage and can-do attitude. Read the full post here.
#6 What is the Value of a Boarding School Education?
Director of Admissions Marketing Laura Burgess, herself a graduate of boarding school, explains why she believes so strongly in this model of education. She wrote that, "the people I met, the things I learned, and the opportunities I had that came because I experienced high school in a global, residential environment directly translated into the qualities that I am most proud to see in myself today." Read the full post here.
#7 Strong Student Leadership has Tabor Sailing Past Competitors
Tabor's sailing team had an incredibly successful season last spring. Much of the credit goes to the captains Nathalie Cavallo '16, Tucker Hersam '16, and Parker Loftus '16, who modeled steady leadership and hard work. Read their complete post, where they describe some of the factors that led them to win the George O'Day Trophy for the first time in ten years.
#8 An Update from the College Counseling Office
Rich Roller, now enjoying his first semester of retirement after a 46 year career at Tabor, wrote this blog post last winter about the class of 2016's college application process. As has been the trend, "Early Decision and Early Action college admissions were popular choices for the Senior class. Between Early Decision Round I and the various Early Action options, 82% of the Class of 2016 (113 out of 137 students) filed one or more applications." Look for a similar update soon from Tabor's new Director of College Counseling, Tim Cheney.
#9 Weekend Life at Tabor
R.J. Swift '08 returned to Tabor this fall as the new Student Activities Director. In his post, he explained his philosophy for weekend life at Tabor: "I want the students to own the weekends. I want them to feel invested in the process of planning and creating the weekends, and putting themselves out there even it means taking some risks to try new things." Read the full post here.
#10 Owning the Culture: What are Tabor Students Like?
Dean of Students Mel Bride and Austin Franklin '16 teamed up to write about student culture on campus. "Owning the culture means being unafraid to try new things, even when you are. Give it everything you've got and you will have support." Read the full post here.
