All In

Together again on the Hilltop. 

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Before they even finished unpacking their boxes, a group of freshman boys huddled around a table in the Clement Hall common room, engaged in a spirited game of Uno. Their excited cheers caught the attention of their neighbors in Hale Hall, who quickly wandered over to join in on the fun. No time was wasted in making new friends. 

Across the street in the Bricks, upperclassmen were resting, following the morning’s pre-season varsity fall sports practices. Their recoveries were short-lived. Once their friends arrived, they got to work and hurried to help them unload their cars, making everyone feel right at home once again.  

The campus was a flurry of activity throughout the arrival days — prefects showing new students to the mailroom, seasoned day students greeting new ones in the Day Room, and faculty greeting their advisees and helping them get settled in. Everyone was all in on gearing up for a great school year. 

All felt a sense of community and togetherness when the entire School gathered for our opening Sundial Ceremony, one of our most beloved traditions on the Hilltop. Seniors took their long-awaited first steps onto the Sundial as faculty surrounded them in an inner circle and underclassmen formed an outer circle — a symbol of their support as seniors embarked on their final year at Pomfret. 

Following the ceremony and a wonderful all-school dinner, the community gathered in Clark Memorial Chapel for the 2022-2023 Opening Chapel Talk. Drawing from Pomfret’s new mission — to empower students to pursue lives of purpose and meaning, Head of School Tim Richards focused on the importance of purpose. “It’s not important for you students to know right now what you plan to do with the rest of your life,” said Richards. “But, it’s also not too early to pursue some kind of purpose.” One of the ways Richards suggested students find their purpose is by making positive changes in their Pomfret community. In his closing, he encouraged everyone to explore new things, deepen their commitment to their interests, and take action to make their purpose real.

The messages of inspiration continued during Convocation — literally a “calling together” to recognize the academic achievements of last year's top-performing students. In between the presentation of awards, four members of the Class of 2023 shared the wisdom they gained during their time on the Hilltop. Aiden Choi spoke about the key to success being in the art of giving up, and Alex Vincent discussed the concept of a growth mindset and trying new things. Eszti Fulop shared the importance of learning from one another and getting to know the different cultures represented in our community. Maya Bullied reminded everyone to take advantage of all the extraordinary opportunities Pomfret has to offer. “Don’t spend your time here thinking of all the things you could have done,” she implored. “Instead, push yourself. Because you deserve to see what you are capable of.”

See the photos from Arrival Days and the Opening Sundial Ceremony and Chapel.