Trinity-Pawling School

• STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: LUCAS HUGHES ’20 - 11/25/2019 - For Lucas Hughes `20, serving as the Prefect of Zeal is all about building connections. "My role has given me a pathway to meet everyone and really get to know ...morethem," Hughes began. "And it allows other students, who may not necessarily know one another very well, to come together in the same place, doing the same thing. It`s so rewarding." As the Prefect of Zeal, his main focus is school spirit - keeping the excitement and support high in the stands, on the sidelines, and across campus.
  
  When Hughes was first given his zeal assignment by Headmaster Taylor, he initially felt uncertain. "I`ll admit that it was hard to navigate at first, but the more I do it, the more I`ve realized that being the Prefect of Zeal really just means leading by example," Hughes shared. "When I`m hyped and cheering at our games or school events, it helps to rally everyone to do the same."
  
  With the fall term behind us, Hughes is proud of his school spirit efforts and plans to keep that momentum. "Spirit Week was by far my favorite part of the fall term. Organizing the events was challenging at times but I think everyone had a blast and that makes it all worth it," Hughes explained. "I`m so thankful for Ms. Najman, Mr. Keel, and so many other teachers. They really helped to put my ideas into action!" The fall Spirit Week featured a series of themed dress-down days, spike ball, dodgeball, and Capture the Flag tournaments in the Smith Field House, a free throw competition, ping pong tournaments, and much more. To top it all off, at the Friday night football game, Hughes put together a group called the Style Boys to perform a song and dance at half-time. "It was another fun way to get everyone excited, entertained, and having a great time. That`s what it`s all about!"
  
  The fall athletic season may be over, but Hughes hasn`t missed a beat with keeping school spirit high. "I have some big plans for the winter term," he shared with a smile. "I want to organize sled races, pond hockey tournaments, and ice-skating races. I`d also like to organize events on campus that help to raise awareness of important and relevant issues - like men`s mental health. And of course, another Spirit Week is in the works too." It will be a busy term for Hughes, as he balances his senior wrestling season, AP classes, and extracurriculars; but he is excited to continue building the spirit of brotherhood that makes Trinity-Pawling so special."
  
  There`s nothing else like the support of the T-P brotherhood. Coming together and being there to cheer each other on is what makes this school so great, in my opinion," Hughes concluded. "It`s about something bigger than ourselves. We can do anything with the right energy and support behind us. And that`s what we have here in the Pride."hide
• A UNIFIED VOICE - 10/21/2019 - Trinity-Pawling`s Student Senate has been around since the early 1990s, established for students to voice their opinions and promote good communication between all segments of the school community. It is ...morecomposed of boarding and day students from all grade levels, elected by their classmates or appointed by faculty members. Dean of Faculty Todd Hoffman became the faculty advisor of the Senate when he joined the School in 2001. Year to year, he has witnessed the Senate evolve and change - but the importance of its presence on campus has remained steady."
  
  Students in the Senate learn to listen to one another, work together, and find logical solutions to their concerns on campus," shared Hoffman. "It`s such a rewarding experience for them."
  
  At the start of this school year, the Senate was reinvigorated and currently has over 40 members! Dean of Residential Life Dutch Keel was thrilled with the high interest level of students running for a spot in the Senate - but it did not come without challenges. "That`s a lot of voices in one room," Keel shared. "In the first meeting, the boys quickly learned that listening is crucial, especially when working together for the common good."
  
  Now two months into the school year, the Student Senate has already seen success with some of their proposed changes on campus. "Key card access was new at the start of the year. In the first month of school, members of the Senate proposed that dorm access be extended in the evenings to promote peer collaboration and extra help," shared Keel. "And they were successful!"
  
  Keel explained that one of the most important takeaways for students in the Senate is experiencing the process: listening to their constituents, proposing a reasonable solution, communicating the benefits of their suggestions, and working cohesively as a team. "They are building leadership and communication skills every step of the way."
  
  Lucas Hughes `20 is an active member of the Student Senate this year. "Our goal is to make life at Trinity-Pawling the best it can be for students," Hughes shared. "We are focused on receiving new ideas, discussing the pros and cons, and proposing ways to implement them on campus." Hughes and his fellow members of the Senate are proud to be the voice for the student body. Sony Wang `23 is in his first year serving in the Senate and believes its importance is unmatched. "The Senate gives every student a chance to give their opinions to the School and Headmaster Taylor." Quite simply, it allows the students to be heard."
  
  They`re learning to build a unified voice," shared English teacher Cyrus Rothwell-Ferraris, who is working as a faculty advisor of the Student Senate this year. "The boys have a chance to work in a self-governed space and see outcomes that precisely reflect how well they manage their meetings. It`s a valuable learning experience all around."
  
  As the Senate continues to meet throughout the year, its members are eager to see their suggestions come to life on campus. "It`s all about growth-personally and collectively as a school," concluded Hughes. "We`re looking forward to seeing more of our ideas in action."hide
• LEADING THE WAY AT TRINITY-PAWLING: MEET THE PREFECTS - 09/23/2019 - Each spring at Trinity-Pawling`s time-honored Stepping Up ceremony, a small group of rising seniors are elected as prefects for the upcoming year. Derived from the Latin word for leader, prefects ...moreare voted in by the student body and faculty, serving as student leaders and modeling the School`s ideals of honor, respect, and hard work. Eight prefects were elected for the 2019-2020 school year, earning the honor by demonstrating their commitment to the School and most importantly, to their peers. At the beginning of each school year, Headmaster Bill Taylor assigns each prefect a specific area of oversight as part of that young man`s leadership responsibilities. Here`s a snapshot into the Class of 2020 Prefects and their plans for the year ahead:
  
  Solomon Hess `20, Head Prefect
  "When I was a new freshman, the prefects were the guys that I looked up to the most. Filling that role now, I`m excited to carry the torch and I know it`s up to me to not let my classmates down. My plan for the year is to do what I`ve always done: be there for the entirety of the student body, stay as involved in the community as possible, and do everything I can to improve the community for all its members. It helps to have an outstanding group alongside me!"
  
  Ben Yoon `20, Junior Prefect
  "Headmaster Taylor appointed me as the prefect of academics. I plan to keep an ear out for any concerns from students regarding their academic work, seeing what I can do to help them manage their workload. As a prefect, I think it`s important to set a standard for the boys at T-P to live by, and to help anyone who needs it as much as I can."
  
  Richard Bolding `20
  "I am the prefect of student life. My goal for this year is to have people of all different backgrounds come together and really get to know one another. To me, being a prefect means being a voice for my peers. It means doing things to make everyone`s time here memorable and fun while setting a good example and showing leadership."
  
  Trevor Cole `20
  "I am the prefect of the arts and music. I hope to coordinate with Mr. Kelsey and Mr. Reade to put arts events together throughout the year - like the Jazz Band playing during half-time at the homecoming football game. I also want to encourage new students (who don`t participate in the arts) to try something new!"
  
  Daniel Csaszar `20
  "Mr. Taylor appointed me the prefect of service, which goes along well with my position as the President of National Honor Society. I want to help students find joy in helping others and giving back to both the T-P and local communities. To me, being a prefect means putting your best foot forward, looking out for your brothers, and taking time out of your day to do the right thing. I really want everyone to feel like they have a home at T-P. We may have different views and backgrounds, but at the end of the day, we`re all one big family."
  
  Henry Daniel `20
  "I am the prefect of honor. Throughout the year, I want to emphasize the importance of honor and integrity at T-P, both academically and as a community. Being a prefect is very important to me. It`s our duty to make this special place even greater!"Lucas Hughes `20"Mr. Taylor has put me in charge of zeal. I am responsible for creating and keeping school spirit on campus. I organize events to bring the brotherhood together and support one another - like bonfires, pep rallies, and more. I want to encourage my peers to be involved in as much as they can-go to the games, cheer on the teams, and be engaged!"
  
  Stephen Willey `20
  "I am the prefect of victuals-which means food. My main focus this year will be to keep in touch with the dining hall and Cave staff, sharing the fan favorites that we all enjoy and giving them feedback to help prepare for future meals. I`m proud to be a prefect this year. Being a role model and being there for my brothers means a lot to me."hide

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