Almost two decades ago, an inspirational Proctor parent and trustee, George Dow P'81, P'83 suggested that Dave Pilla should meet Bert Rogers, who was managing the 130-foot schooner Harvey Gamage. Intimately familiar with Mountain Classroom, which was founded in 1974, George had a vision for a complementary trimester at sea, through which Proctor students would earn academic credit while sailing the Atlantic.


Last night, in Gloucester, we celebrated the 17th start of Ocean Classroom, arguably the prototypic experiential college preparatory program in existence. (I am ready to engage any debate on my claim.)

 

We have sailed three different vessels over the years, but this is the original, the Harvey Gamage, dockside at Gloucester as parents, siblings and friends of 23 Proctor students arrive for inspection, introspection, and good-byes.  

 

In my business (now known as educational social media,) the acronym SEO is common, and means "search engine optimization." It urges people to use key words and titles to be found by search engines. So, perhaps, "Reduction Sauce" is a poor choice for this blog's title...attracting French chefs, instead of aspiring applicants. No matter. Ocean classroom is a reduction sauce of Proctor Academy. Each of our key principles is reduced to its essence. This image is archival:
 
 

Proctor is all about providing a level playing field on which students take responsibility and learn--ultimately--about themselves. Ocean Classroom is the most intense, life-changing exercise in personal responsibility imaginable. The students who qualified for this opportunity know that the beautiful, pleasurable experiences will be complemented by the uncomfortable. The universe does what it does, and we prepare for eventualities and endure. The outcome, according to Ocean Classroom alumnus Dan Rissotti '04 (offered last night,): "There's never a day I don't think about it."


 

But Let's go back to Gloucester, last night. Parents and family mingle with excited, anxious kids.

 

Everyone involved with Ocean Classroom has this special energy or glow about them. This is Proctor "reduction." It's an intensified sense that what we are doing is truly important. This is much more than school for adolescents and jobs for adults. We are going to sea, and the risks and benefits are beyond anything we have experienced before. Back to last night, Dave Pilla welcomes students and families in inspirational fashion:


 

At a reception following students embarking, Head of School Mike Henriques spoke, referencing a boy who whispered to him, "My parents told me that they are proud of me!" Mike finished his talk referencing the pride we all will feel for these kids after this truly life-changing experience. Here's Frankie's proud family (missing his dad who was standing to my right with a camera!)

 

Apart from the self-discovery that has been the hallmark of Ocean Classroom, the maintenance of a college preparatory curriculum is the amazing accomplishment. Yet an academically high-achieving recent graduate said of Ocean Classroom, "I never worked so hard, and I never learned so much."

 

That boils it down to something we can appreciate!  Destination: San Juan, Puerto Rico.