The Class of 2012 now begins its senior year. Many seniors assumed leadership positions last April, and have already experienced the exhilaration and stress that accompany a significant increase in responsibilities. All seniors, regardless of title or position, are seen as leaders in the eyes of the school. We even proudly and officially occupy Senior Grass.
At the same time, we know that our Deerfield days are numbered, and we must ask ourselves how the Class of 2012 will be remembered in its final and most crucial year.
We respect and admire last year’s senior class for their individual accomplishments, but we believe that collectively they displayed a lack of good judgment on more than one occasion. We can learn from this and use our newfound leadership, both on and off campus, to reflect the best of Deerfield.
Yeah, who cares about class legacy, it doesn’t matter! What matters is one’s individual legacy. Now let’s spend another massive comment thread arguing about class legacy! Because we don’t think it matters. We’re exhaustively arguing to say it doesn’t matter, of course.
The class of 2011 has made its mark on the school through its actions and simple presence at Deerfield Academy. In my opinion, it is not any persons position to judge the quality, or motivations of a class. I respect the class of 2012 for establishing a high standard of performance for themselves. but, In order to achieve this goal they need to be utterly focused on their own actions rather than constantly looking through the rear view mirror and comparing themselves to a different classes standards.
As a member of 2011 who has made a mistake at DA, I can say honestly that I believe our class learned very valuable life lessons by the time graduation day rolled around. And, if learning is a major goal of Deerfield Academy’s I would say that our class succeeded in its mission at Deerfield-To become better, stronger human beings.
I was not saying that the rules are too strict and that they prevent valuable mistakes. I believe in Deerfield as it is. Mistakes and the consequences are a part of everyone’s life. I simply said that one should not approach life from a position of “I am not going to make a mistake today,” that’s all. My interpretation of the article was that it was advocating such an approach to life. Deerfield does an incredible job with Deerfield students and I support them 100% as they do my children. Hats off to the incredible community of adults at Deerfield who provide 24/7 support to every student NO MATTER WHAT the circumstances.
Ah, excuse me, when I said, “The Author” I was referring to the post made by “Yeah”, not yours. My fault.
I am the proud parent of a member of the class of 2011 and a proud parent of a member of the class of 2012.
To the class of 2012: Do not stand from a world of judgement. stand for who you are and NOT who you are not. If you lead your lives from a position of who you are not, you are destined to be that person from this day forward. Try on the possibility of defining yourselves by who you are from the inside, the person you were born to be. Try on the possibility that you are no different from the class of 2011, 2010, 2009, and so on. You are not better than them, less than them, stronger than them, righter than them, you get my drift. You are who you are and be that way. Live every moment from the thought that this day might be your last. Live every moment honoring yourself and your community (which includes the classes that came before you).
To the amazing class of 2011, you are an outstanding group of young people and you know it. If you made a mistake, good for you. There is no shame in making mistakes. I propose to you that the shame is in living a life from a position of “I am not going to make a mistake,” because that would be living a careful, cautious life. That is living small. The world’s greatest leaders (gandhi, MLK to name just two) did not wake up every morning and think “I don’t want to make a mistake today”. Why bother getting up at all? Think BIG. Life is about problems and mistakes. The only ones without problems and mistakes can be found in a cemetery. You were born to change the world. Now go on and do it. Don’t look back for one second, you don’t have the time to live in that world. It’s over. All that is left is NOW.
Again I agree, you have to make mistakes to learn from them. One of my biggest problems with Deerfield is that it did not allow students to make mistakes and learn from them. You learn the most when you have to fix something you have done wrong, or at least deal with the fall out, and anyone who stops you from making mistakes has denied that they learned from their mistakes. I heard 2 of the deans during my time say that they made mistakes and are better now because they did, but how well can you shape young people if you deny them the chance to learn from their mistakes.
Isnt DA a 2 strike school? Make a mistake, learn from it, and move on. I dont quite get what you mean here? You chose to go to a private boarding school with a clearly written out, fairly extensive, rule book. I make mistakes daily and then fix them. If you chose to break the law or violate major school rules more than once, it seems reasonable to expect consequences.. does it not?
Perhaps what the author was saying was that Deerfield’s rules are so strictly laid out and our methods were so clear-cut that there were no chances to make valuable mistakes. Consequences and learning from your mistakes are two very different things.
Re: Two strikes, Deerfield is whatever Margarita determines it to be at the moment.
As long as we’re giving tours or speaking to prospective students, we’re a two strike school to honor the Boyden style.
Once the chips are down, however, I wouldn’t put any stock into the two strike rule. As proven by another certain incident earlier in the year.
True, it is not polite nor courteous to the school to tarnish their reputation, but if that is the only thing that occupies the minds of the administration and current student body, then I could not be more happy that I have graduated and moved on from Deerfield. Throughout my Deerfield career one of the most important lessons I learned is that: the administration does not much more than abide by the trustees and families with the most money, putting reputation before voice of the students or simply put, the well being of the students. How many times has the student body been asked to vote on something, or the peer counselors were asked their opinions, that ultimately were just ignored? How many times were changes requested by the students actually taken into account? Whoever wrote this article did not much look into the details situation after graduation from the class of 2011, nor did they look much into the details long fall situation either, which involved MUCH more than the senior class. It is sad and unfortunate that the graduation party was busted because it could have happened to any school, and having attended the actual event I can say that the majority of people there were acting with cautionary judgment while drinking, probably a large number of people there were under the legal driving limit for BAC, and EVERYONE there had brought sleeping arrangements so as to avoid any accidents with driving anyways- USING JUDGEMENT. This article means nothing unless 100% of the class of 2012 fulfills your visions of good judgement. I wonder, maybe you should do a poll to see what your class was upset the most about regarding the graduation party debacle: potentially losing their own senior party privileges or the so carefully polished image of Deerfield? Pretty sure %90 of you cared more about your own senior party experience…. Good luck Class of 2012- Try to speak up a little and maybe keep the school from abolishing student opinions
I personally talked to members of the student body and the administration/staff/faculty after being at the Elmore incident, and all of them thought it was much more barbaric than it actually was and I was appalled. Scroll Board I urge you to not take the administrations opinion on the event. What was said above is completely true. I also urge you to not act as though you know the whole story and chastise the class of 2011 when you weren’t there for yourself.
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/vermont_police_crash_deerfield.html
You’re right. Kids in 2012 do not know all of the details, but we do have access to over 10 published stories online or in print covering the party and the extent of punishments etc… We also know that members of our class and ’13 were a part of events that happened over long weekends last year. I think what Scroll is saying is not that ’12 is perfect and ’11 is a problem class… they are just pointing out that no matter what the situation, seniors are held to higher standards. This article says ONE line about the class of 2011… “We respect and admire last year’s senior class for their individual accomplishments, but we believe that collectively they displayed a lack of good judgment on more than one occasion. ”
Can members of 2011 really argue that collectively (not saying that everyone in the whole class was involved in each incident) you did not show a lack of good judgement on more than one occasion? We think you are a great group of kids and we look up to you, but we are just pointing out that learning from your mistakes will hopefully help us to exert better judgement so that we leave DA on a really good note. Doesnt seem like Scroll is trying to blame you.. they are just pointing out a one line fact.
It should come as no surprise that the Class of 2011’s pledge rate was 88%, down from 2010’s 99%. The Class of ’11 encountered numerous administrative flaws and made a strong statement against what they experienced with a shockingly low pledge rate. The school heavily relies on alumni donations, and if they want money from recently graduated classes, they’re going to have to make some big changes. I know that I won’t pledge a dime until Margarita is replaced.
-Member of the Class of 2012
amen.
-another member of the class of ’12
If I remember correctly, (And I do), a few standout members of the class of 2012 were also embroiled in one of the incidents, or cases in which “a lack of good judgment was displayed”, which you have chosen to bring up.
We’ll be absolutely sure to remember you for your hypocrisy, as Quebec Nights was not just a senior affair, Scroll board. Keep that in mind the next time you decide to mount your high horse.