Today, the upper school community reflected on the events of September 11, 2001. Five students shared research they conducted for their 10th grade Social History Project, exploring how 9/11 shaped lives and identities. Drawing on a 38-year U.S. Army career in Special Forces and Psychological Operations, Colonel Jack Guy GP ’28 ’34 spoke about the bravery he witnessed, the responsibilities of service, and the need to set aside division in times of crisis.
From a different perspective, Head of Upper School Rishi Raghunathan P ’27 ’30 described how losing his job as a flight attendant after 9/11 set him on a path to education, reminding students that “when you give yourself to service, you find your purpose.” Closing the program, Head of School Eliza McLaren reflected on the power of community and the importance of holding both joy and sorrow in difficult times.
Together, their words honored the memory of those lost, acknowledged the ongoing consequences for communities in the United States and abroad, and invited students to embrace unity and responsibility in their own lives.