Thank You for My Future

Darlington School changed my life. That may seem trite, superficial even, but it’s true. The two years I spent living as a boarding student in Rome, at a campus that always made me faintly feel like I lived in a droll British novel, shaped my character in a way that no amount of time spent at any other school could have.

I went to Darlington for an education, one that I could measure quantitatively, with grades and SAT scores, but I received infinitely more than that. The knowledge and experience given to me by the people of Darlington cannot be summarized; the parts of my character that were drastically shaped by my time here cannot be separated and analyzed, simply because to do so would leave me with no character at all. Despite the excellent teachers and the hard work and intelligence required of me to succeed in my studies, I learned more outside of the classroom than I possibly could have at a desk. To this day, I value the late night talks with the duty teachers, the year I spent with my precious Indonesian roommate, the Saturday night movie runs where I realized that I was the only American present. At Darlington, I became strong, independent, determined, a mild workaholic, but I also learned to fall in love with something every day, whether it was my beautifully awkward group of friends, the chicken nachos they made in the dining hall every two weeks, or even the 15-page English paper I finally finished for Mr. Powell after a week of 2 a.m. study sessions.

Of course, none of this was possible without the people I grew to know at Darlington – administrators, teachers, students, alumni. Because of them, I received an education that encompassed so much more than knowledge; I received a set of opportunities that allowed me to accomplish more than I ever thought possible. I now have best friends all over the world. I have the independence and skills to live away from home, to do my own laundry without breaking the washing machine and to clean my room even if my mother isn’t forcing me to. I have a scholarship to the school of my dreams, making me the first person in my immediate family to earn a college degree. Though it was only my name on all the college applications I spent an entire semester completing, any accomplishments attributed to me are not mine alone; none of them would have been possible without the incredible support system provided to me by the witty, spontaneous, nurturing, chastising, quirky, and intimidatingly intelligent community at Darlington School. I owe my work ethic, my success, my happiness to Darlington, and I firmly believe that I owe this bright future that we were reminded of so often at graduation to this beautiful place that was, and still is, my home.

This is why I encourage you to donate to Darlington School. When I first applied for a scholarship to Darlington, the winter of my sophomore year, my family thought I was crazy, but two years and a multitude of experiences later, I can only feel gratitude, particularly to the Morris family and to the other individuals who contributed and made my education at Darlington possible. My success and happiness during my time in Rome was due to their generosity, and I will always appreciate their innate belief in my potential.

Any amount is appreciated, because with each contribution, you are funding the hopes of students who dream of achieving more than those that came before them. I often joke that the only reason I got into college was that I wrote a killer essay about the scars on my legs from when I was hit by a car, but in reality, it is not the marks on my body that define me. I am defined by my dreams, my determination, my character, all of which are only possible because of the generosity of people like you, whether you are an employee, parent, alumnus, or a new friend.

I am, and will always be, proud to call myself a Darlington graduate, and I hope you consider donating your time or treasure to give students like me the opportunity to do the same. Thank you.

This is part of a blog series written to highlight what it means to be a donor in the Darlington Community and the various ways one can give back to the school. On Aug. 30, the school will host its first-ever Thank a Donor Day to recognize the individuals and businesses whose generous gifts make Darlington the special places that it is.