Promise

Find your

The Middlesex School mission is to “find the

promise” in every student. It is our invitation to
every student who comes here to find the essence
of his or her character and the talents and sense
of purpose within. No one can find someone else’s
promise. Only you can do that. But Middlesex
is a school designed to give you the best possible
environment in which to do so.

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You’ll learn how to burn bright without burning
out. You’ll stretch your brilliance. And you’ll learn
how to live a truly engaged, contributing, 360˚ life.

You will emerge as your best self, tested and with

the purpose and the ability to live your promise,
whether that means—as it has for some of our
alumni—running for president of the United
States, earning the Pulitzer Prize for journalism,
becoming an Oscar-winning actor, or being
nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

How will you use the unique human spark that

is yours and yours alone, first in the halls of
this school and then in the larger course of your
life? That is what finding your promise is all
about. Just ask some of our recent alumni.

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George
Wilson II
Cornell University Graduate
Business Development, NBA
“I believed such a dream
was possible because
of the foundation of
dedication Middlesex
instilled in me.”
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Middlesex definitely stretched me to the limit
“I was always
inside and outside of class. Sports are a good
example. Prior to Middlesex, I had never played
organized sports, nor did I consider myself an
athlete. I had never even heard of all the sports
the school offered. In spite of that, I stepped
out of my comfort zone and decided to give
various teams a try. I started out on the lower
level football, basketball, and crew teams.
By my senior year, I made varsity basketball
and crew. Post-Middlesex, I attended Cornell
University and joined its Division I crew
program. At the time, it was ranked one of
the top three programs in the nation. If you
had told me when I arrived at Middlesex that
I would be a Division I athlete four years
later, I would have laughed. But even though
Middlesex students are unique individuals, one
thing we have in common is aspiring toward
achievement in every field. It’s what the school
challenges you to work toward.
When I left Middlesex, I wasn’t sure how I
would leave my mark on the world. However,
I did have the confidence and tools necessary
to achieve any goals I set for myself. It wasn’t
until college that I developed an affinity for
the sports industry and decided I wanted to
work for the NBA. I believed such a dream was
possible because of the foundation of dedica-
tion Middlesex instilled in me. During my
junior year of college, I was accepted into the
NBA’s internship program in New York City.
I worked long hours and weekends, quickly
making a name for myself as a hard worker.
Four months later, I accepted a full-time job
offer from the NBA that began right after
my college graduation. Out of an intern class
of 30, I was one of four interns given a full-
time offer.
Middlesex challenged me and, in doing so,
taught me to believe in myself. It gave me the
confidence to strive for my goals, no matter
how far-fetched they may seem when I first
set them.
in awe of the range
of interests and
accomplishments
of my classmates.”
I was always in awe of the range of interests and accomplishments of my
classmates. Just thinking about it now, the faces that pop into my head are
of the aspiring architect in my physics class with an obsession for cars,
the creative writer-poet-novelist who loved to dance, the brilliant actress
who also wrote her own plays and filmed her own movies, the All-American
athletes, aspiring doctors, lawyers, and politicians, entrepreneurs, all
different types of musicians and singers, incredible artists—the list goes
on and on. And, despite this vast array of talents and interests, Middlesex
kids really do come together in the classroom as friends.
You are not labeled by your uniqueness; rather all the different shapes and
sizes of kids’ personalities come together synergistically. Together, every-
one creates a powerful learning environment in which students can really
be themselves, take risks, and, ultimately, relax and have fun. The students
and faculty alike appreciate and respect the uniqueness, the quirkiness,
and the vibrancy of each incoming student, and they really embrace these
characteristics so that each student can continue to cultivate his or her
talents and interests over the course of one’s Middlesex experience. When
you leave the school, people see these attributes in Middlesex graduates—
their passion, their intelligence and talents, and their confidence in them-
selves and in their high school experience.
I think Middlesex is most successful in instilling that confidence by
Kirsten
constantly contextualizing its magnificent education in the broader scope Kester
of world issues. Students leave knowing that they have received a very
Harvard University Senior
valuable gift in terms of their high school education and experience, and
they know that they can use this gift to do great things with their lives.
Some students know exactly how they want to leave their mark on the
world—they want to be a doctor or a lawyer, start a business, become an
actress or an artist or a singer. For others it is more nebulous. However, I
think it is safe to say that all students feel Middlesex has opened doors for
them—and that they have some sort of obligation to use it to make a mark
and positively affect those around them. For many students, that impact
starts even before they leave Middlesex—through their academic, athletic,
and artistic accomplishments and their commitment to helping others.
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“There is also something to be said
about the quality of students and
individuals attracted to a place
like Middlesex. While I was not the
most ‘controversial’ student at
the school, I was definitely inspired
by those who were.”

During my first week at Middlesex, it was announced that as part of our

orientation exercises, we would be mountain climbing. As a New Yorker,
my idea of experiencing “nature” was taking a stroll in Central Park.
I remember being frightened all the way up that mountain and even
more frightened on the way down. But at the end of the day, that trip was
a bonding experience for me and was also a huge achievement. From
day one, we were being pushed to explore new things in order to find
those particular areas that we are passionate about. I went from being
completely averse to playing any kind of sport to running cross-country
in the fall and playing lacrosse in the spring.

Being at Middlesex helped me to get over the fear and hesitation that
some people experience when confronted with new things. Living with
students who did not share the same cultural identity, upbringing, and
life experiences as me gave me the opportunity to become a more diverse
individual and made me appreciate my culture and individuality even
more. Having learned all these lessons of diversity in high school gave me
an edge in applying to college and also helped me to thrive once I got to
college. I never felt overwhelmed by the diversity of thought around me.
In fact, I was excited to take advantage of all the opportunities with which
I was presented.
Irma Alvarez
There are several aspects of my Middlesex experience that helped me Columbia University Graduate
to determine how I wanted to leave a mark on the world. Aside from the Investment Banker
strong academic environment and excellent faculty, there is also some-
thing to be said about the quality of students and individuals attracted to
a place like Middlesex. While I was not the most “controversial” student at
the school, I was definitely inspired by those who were. One of my really
close friends was a true individual—in class she often had the dissenting
opinion, and she would fiercely defend it. Middlesex is a place that encour-
ages that kind of intelligent debate inside and outside the classroom. By
being able to interact with other students who were extremely passionate
about so many different things, I was able to identify the things that I was
most passionate about.

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Afua
Ofosu-Barko
Stanford University Graduate
International Health Worker
“My first experience in
Africa was gorgeous,
uplifting, inspiring, and
heartbreaking... I was
driven in a way I hadn’t
been before, driven
to make the best of
everything Middlesex
had to offer...”
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I came to Middlesex after growing up in the
Caribbean, and suffice it to say, New England
is very different from Puerto Rico and the
Bahamas. I remember flipping through the
brochure and wondering how I would fit in. Yet
I did. I found a group of close friends and threw
myself into everything. I remember walking
out of my first sophomore English class with
Mr. Foster just so excited and jazzed about the
books we were going to read.
Middlesex was definitely the place where I
figured out what I wanted to do with my life.
During my junior year, I got to go back to
Ghana for the first time in 14 years—we left
when I was two. While it was fantastic to finally
meet all my cousins, uncles, aunts, and old
friends of my parents, what most profoundly
affected me was coming face to face with the
reality of what life is like for millions of people
around the world. I realized how much in my
daily life I took for granted: access to clean
water, food in copious quantities, medical
attention at my fingertips, and so much more.
My first experience in Africa was gorgeous,
uplifting, inspiring, and heartbreaking. But that
first trip changed my life forever; I knew that I
could never again go back to being so unaware
of true hardships in life. I had a really hard time
adjusting to Middlesex life when I returned.
I remember just staring at all the food around
me and walking around the beautiful campus,
painfully aware of the amount of money being
spent on my education. And then I made
myself snap out of it. I didn’t want to waste the
blessings I had been given. I was driven in
a way I hadn’t been before, driven to make the
best of everything Middlesex had to offer,
so that I could get into the best college possible
and then pursue a career in the field of inter­
national development to help correct the
injustices I’d seen.
The skills, drive, confidence, and desire to make
my goals a reality and to make a difference in
the world around me. It all started at Middlesex.
“Middlesex presented me
with more opportunities
than I could handle, and
I latched onto the ones
I loved instead of doing
them all.”
When I applied to Middlesex, I was already a unique individual, but much
of who I am today is due to my education and life experiences while
at Middlesex. Perhaps my favorite part about Middlesex was that my
relationships with my teachers extended beyond the classroom. I was able
to see them as human beings who could teach me more about life than
they could about any subject in calculus or Latin. I will always remember
the times driving back from the Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday
nights with Malcolm Russell or the times having
advisee dinners with Doc Freiberger. These are
the memories that I credit most for making me Henry
who I am today, not necessarily what I learned in
English or biology. Of course, college admission
Harding
offices want to see students who took APs and Brown University Freshman
did well on their SATs, but I believe my relation­-
ships with my teachers are what gave me the
competitive edge against other students who looked the same as me on
paper. I learned how to be a responsible adult in the bigger world that
exists outside of Middlesex.
I think Middlesex has a great approach in its education philosophy of
“finding the promise.” As an underclassman, I was forced to take a lot of
classes and play a lot of sports that I probably wouldn’t have done on my
own. I had no idea in my freshman year that I would later fall in love with
the classics when I chose to take Latin instead of French—or that I would
excel as a runner in cross-country and track when I didn’t make varsity
soccer. Middlesex presented me with more opportunities than I could
handle, and I latched onto the ones I loved instead of doing them all.
That is why even though I was a recruited athlete when I came to Brown,
I didn’t fall into the “athlete” stereotype like most people on the team
because there were other things that interested me just as much.
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“When I first moved to New York
City and started attending art
school, I remember feeling like
it was all so right. I felt like
I had become the person I had
always wanted to be. I would
never be where I am now if it Violet
wasn’t for Middlesex.” Dennison
New York University Junior

What I really value about Middlesex is that, while the school population
is small, there is an abundance of extremely well-developed programs. For
me, I became very involved in the art program. Initially, it started out as
almost a hobby or perhaps a class requirement. But by the time my junior
year came around, I realized I had a deep understanding of the subject and
just knew that being an artist was what I wanted to do.

The Middlesex art program is on a higher level than most high school
art classes. For instance, when I got to NYU, I was one of a handful in
my grade who had painted with oils and had been in a critique before
college. I was able to start at a higher level because of prior experience
and feel confident in my field. All of the Middlesex art teachers I had were
professionally trained artists and teachers and very devoted to helping
students achieve. Because the program is smaller than at most schools,
I also was able to have very personal relationships with all of my art
teachers, and the studio really became my home.

I got into the college of my choice early decision, and attending it has
been one of best experiences of my life. Beyond the excellence of the
program, the Middlesex community has been incredibly supportive. At
my senior year art show, I was actually asked by a faculty member to
paint a portrait of his son. Since then I have been commissioned several
times based on that teacher’s help. Such support has given me so much
confidence. I remember when I was a junior and had begun looking at
colleges. I had finally gained the courage to tell my parents I was going to
art school—a hard thing to do when you have descended from lawyers and
businessmen. When I was asked to paint that first commissioned portrait,
it felt so great to know that someone recognized my skill and hard work. It
really just gave me this feeling like, “I can do this.”

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“Another memory
is Kit chilling me
out before I had
to give a talk to I came to Concord, Massachusetts, from a small tobacco town in North
Carolina. I was a kid with a Southern twang and a pair of lungs that could
the whole school. power him around the soccer field or tennis court for hours on end. Along
I was so nervous with a big grin, that was about all I had. My advisor and English teacher
Kit Cohane and squash coach Tom O’Neil, two of my mentors, never
I couldn’t stop pushed perfection, but they certainly gave me a lot of encouragement,
shaking...He told and that is one of the most powerful things you can give any young kid.
Through their encouragement and that of others, I realized I wanted to,
me to just think and could, do some pretty big things.
for a minute or
I first met Tom when he came up to me after watching me play a soccer
two about what game. He said, “You’ve got the right attitude; you ever played squash?” I
I had to do and ended up scraping onto the Varsity Squash Team that year. With more
encouragement and lots of training, I ended up being number 1 and being
then go do it. elected captain the next year. That had a big impact on me, and I went on
And that was it. I to be captain of three sports in my senior year.
still think about Another memory is Kit chilling me out before I had to give a talk to the
that advice today, whole school. I was so nervous I couldn’t stop shaking. Kit reminded me
I’d performed in front of crowds twice a week
almost daily.” for years playing sports, and it really wasn’t any
different. He told me to just think for a minute Malcolm Scovil
or two about what I had to do and then go do
St. Andrews University Graduate
it. And that was it. I still think about that advice Investment Banker
today, almost daily. Social Entrepreneur and CEO

Middlesex balanced the right amount of pressure

to achieve without adding pressure to conform. That’s a pretty good
formula for success in the real world as well. At other boarding schools,
many of my friends had a very ‘standard’ prep school social experience
where you were either a part of the ‘in’ crowd or ‘everybody else.’ Middlesex
was different in an important way. The smaller-sized classes, layout of the
school around the Circle, and camaraderie in the dorms allowed me to get
to know and appreciate a variety of people. In the real world, the ability to
build relationships with a wide range of people is certainly something that
helps to make your mark after graduation and beyond.

It’s been a decade since my graduation but I have never forgotten our
speaker, professional boxing referee Mills Lane. He said, “To get what you
want in life, keep your chin down, your fists up, and keep moving forward.”
I’m incredibly grateful to Middlesex for giving me the confidence, deter-
mination, and education to do that over these past 10 years.

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