Kent School - Review #6

I believe that Kent School is unique because of the potential for every student to be a leader. Clubs, music groups, sports teams, and other organizations do not rely on teacher or coach leadership, they rely on students stepping up and standing up for the groups who share their passions. Students can develop leadership skills however they involve themselves on campus and it is unlike any other institution I have seen.

The best thing that happened to me in boarding school was participate in Jazz Band. In my life now, guitar is one of my greatest passions and this love was fostered in Jazz Band at Kent School. A dear friend and bassist in the jazz band passed away my senior year and I played the bass on her behalf for our spring concert and to this day it is one of my proudest moments.

I would have convinced myself I could compete more academically. I quickly realized how intelligent my peers were and allowed myself from the very beginning to be satisfied with average grades and I know that I could have been among the top of my classmates if I had changed my mentality early on. I would tell all kids going to boarding school to set high expectations for themselves from the beginning because they probably do not know yet how much potential they have.

What I liked most about Kent School was being able to give so much to the community. At larger institutions you can become a drop in the bucket very easily and never learn anything about leadership, but at Kent School I was given opportunities to lead and involve myself.

The cereal bar seems like a small thing but it is the lifeblood of Kent School!

Kent School is an institution of rigorous workloads and high expectations but the faculty and staff are equally supportive and caring, which fosters a community of focused yet kind students. What I valued above all else was being treated like an adult in the classroom and feeling that my education expanded beyond academic knowledge but also wisdom.

Kent School Athletics stand out from other institutions because no team is dependent on star athletes, they were dependent on student leaders. No individual needed to be the best at a sport to lead their team, in fact often times the most respected members of a team were the less skillful and more motivational/supportive. As a captain of two varsity teams at Kent School I encouraged positivity and discipline like my former captains had instilled in me.

Kent School recently renovated their music facilities and have created a strong foundation in the arts. My mother is a music teacher at Kent School and I have witnessed the progression of the music department into the stellar program that it is now. What I loved most about the music program was my ability to be a student athlete and musician as all of Kent's faculty are understanding of the importance of both arts.

I was heavily involved in music and athletic activities in my time at Kent School and did not have time for many clubs, but there was certainly a diverse collection of them.

I was a day student at Kent School and commuted from home but as a senior council member I was responsible for check-in duties in Middle Dorm South. This was a dorm for underclassmen and I had to correct behavior occasionally but overall the dorm life was peaceful and students were respectful of each other.

I was the dining hall steward during my senior year and I had the pleasure of working with the lovely dining hall staff at Kent School. There was always variety in meals and the staff was always extremely helpful. The desert bar was the best part!

Kent Connecticut is not an exciting place but there was a convenience store down the road and a grocery store farther in town. If students wished, they could get a shuttle to new milford for movies or other shopping needs.

My social life was entire built from my involvement on campus. My friend group was comprised of bandmates, teammates, and classmates. I enjoyed having a diverse friend group full of unique personalities and backgrounds.