Salute to the Class of 2020

Lessons Learned, For Life

“Some say, PA, is only worth diploma day...” I’m sure many of us have heard Michael Kontaxis ’11’s fantastic “Andover Song”. Having watched the video prior to enrolling as a student, I walked onto campus bright-eyed, with bold expectations as to the course of my next four years. As the song points out: “Some say, PA, is only worth diploma day, but those who know, will tell you that it isn’t so.” My time here has truly shown me the value in the latter half of this statement, which has manifested as a result of the people this community brings together.

In one of the many conversations I’ve had with friends during the past couple of years, the concept of care ethics was once brought up by a great friend of mine, Eli Newell ’20. Care ethics is a principle that underscores how “identity is defined by the set of relationships individuals have with other humans.”

If my time at Andover has shown me anything, it is to take interest in people, not for one’s own personal gain, but rather with the intention of learning and understanding. The diverse environment that Andover purposely cultivates—with variety in relation to all facets of identity—is filled with peers and mentors who are passionate about what they do. There have been countless times that my actions were positively influenced by those around me and brought out the best in me; it would be impossible not to realize that my connections with others were what made the whole Andover experience meaningful.

Our interactions with peers created a continuing discourse about life that allowed us to both keep on learning about the world and appreciating those around us—all while sitting in Commons, walking to sports, or simply waiting for stir-fry.

Andover Through a New Lens

I truly believe that the high school years are the most important for a student’s growth. These are the four years during which students develop their passions, build their character, and discover their identity. Andover gave me exactly that as well as the perfect platform to document these years: photography.

During my first weeks at Andover, as I walked around campus with my heavy Canon camera bag, I felt as though every person I saw was asking me, “Are you a photographer?” The answer was no; I hardly knew any of the functions on my family’s camera. It was hard for me to imagine this landscape as my home for the next four years, so I spent many hours wandering around with my camera in hand and learning to embrace the beauty of Andover through my photography. Late September of my first year, on a walk back to Double Brick, my ninth-grade dorm, I stood in front of the Addison Gallery for a couple of minutes and ultimately captured the perfect sunset. I was beginning to gain comfort in knowing every inch of the campus between the bird sanctuary and Siberia Fields.

Eventually I learned the purpose of aperture and shutter speed, which allowed me to expand my viewpoint. Starting with my lower year, I began to photograph not only the inanimate scenery at Andover, but also the people. And I began to reach out and participate in student activities. Sometimes I engaged with my peers directly, and other times I remained on the outside focusing on students’ smiles and excitement. At the annual Spikeball tournament, I set my camera to the perfect exposure to capture complete strangers doing what they loved. Later, these strangers became my friends.