The first time I came to Country Day was in 1994—when Clinton was in his first term and Millsback was just graduating from high school—to pick up my sister Becky from her first day in  7th grade.

Six years later, my sister was graduating, and by then I understood that Country Day was more than volleyball and soccer games and an extra stop on the way home from school. One day, it would be my school.

A lot has changed since the beginning of this decade—most notably the quality of the campus.

The new lower school is an incredible feature, and the prospect of fulfilling the dual-campus vision is intriguing.

Yet the strongest aspect of a Country Day education has remained, tried and true—the teachers.  

I remember watching sports games and seeing, hearing about and talking to Ms. Batarseh, Ms. Nellis, Mr. Neukom, and Ms. Fels, intimidated by these “institutions” but enchanted by the idea of someday taking their classes.

And while these teachers are still at the top of their game, the other “new” teachers have been a boon for the school.

I appreciate and praise the teachers for their incredible ability to inspire, whether it’s encouraging students to play sports in college or run a marathon, stimulating their study of history or the classics, or driving them to do things they would not normally do. The teachers are truly the anchor of a Country Day education.  

Students, appreciate the teachers you have and the environment at Country Day while you can. They are the best a high-school student can ask for.