Thursday's Lower School assembly witnessed a Q+A with two MUS seniors and school leaders, Barry Brunetti and Stephond Allmond. Barry gets into the local paper from time to time as a quarterback for the Owls. Senior Class president Stephond makes it in there, too, usually as one being on the receiving end of his elementary school days friend's passes.

In 2005-2006, both Barry and Stephond transferred to the MUS Hull Lower School into our eighth grade, Barry from Snowden and Stephond from Riverview. I was in my first tour of duty as principal, and I had the honor of overseeing these two, among some 200 others, but these guys stood out for some obvious reasons, one being Brunetti's then choice of hairstyle. He's sense come a long way in the personal aesthetics and grooming department, but I digress.

The gist of our assembly was allowing the younger boys to see that all the flash that these two visible senior student-athletes exhibit on the fields and courts around here are only part of the story. Both young men offered specific anecdotes relating the details of their challenging, demanding academic, social, and personal adjustments as they re-oriented themselves into the kind of guys that they needed to become in order to be successful at MUS.

Barry keyed on the fact that he plays best when he knows that the week's academic work is accomplished and behind him. Stephond discussed a relentless pace of time management and academics-before-athletics prioritization which requires efficient use of free periods during the school day. The practical wisdom communicated by these guys was evident, and the ease with which both college scholarship-bound students communicated their willing acceptance of their significant personal responsibilities impressed us all. 

That said, both Barry and Stephond were clear to state that their journey here has not been all peaches and cream. They have had to swallow some humble pie and expend more effort than they ever anticipated, even weathering the silly taunts from friends on the outside and the pointed confrontations from authorities here at school. However, they trusted us, and they got down to business... like a lot of guys have to do around here once they decide to push through their fears and avoidance. Barry and Stephond may be more noticeable, but a lot of boys can relate to their experiences of a positive transition here once priorities became a mature pursuit.

There are yet some chapters still to be written while here at MUS by these two before they shove off to college, and as they continue to live, move, and have their being among us, they want to communicate to the younger boys that MUS offers significant opportunity and support, but the student has to be responsible for his own success... and it's worth it.

When asked about the obvious omission in their high school experiences, Stephond concluded, "There's time for girls after all the business here is over with." 

Yesterday's finishers were:

1.  Andrew ELSAKR

2.  Zack SPISAK

3.  Alex CARTER

The winning words were acquittal and extraneous.

This trio will join the previous three winners--Michael CARTER, Marshall SULLIVAN, and Baty DANIEL--in the Spell-off on December 3.

So I'm thumbing through my insidethevault newsletter from the regional Federal Reserve (slow afternoon), and I encounter a sea of questions and answers that most middle-school parents don't want to contemplate, much less those of us with elementary kids. However, we indeed must plan and act now for the practical result of ending the course of study at a select high school: college. I like the presentation of this publication, and it can be a helpful tool to use in orchestrating financial planning for the little darlings who may no appreciate exactly what it takes to send them here. You may want to remind them of your anxiety and responsibility the next time they complain about how difficult their lives are.

Here's another one, this time from the perspective of high school financial aid. We are quite fortunate at MUS to have such a robust ability to offer need-based financial aid, and while obviously not immune from the tumultuous investment environment, we weathered the storm. Still, MUS is expensive. All independent schools are. Therefore, the value of our unique product and services should be evident in support of your hard-earned money and your family's extra time expended on behalf of our rigorous requirements. 

The significant financial investment into independent schooling as a percentage of a family's annual expenses is unprecedented. A specific, strategic financial plan is essential for at least the next decade if you have a student(s), not that you didn't already know this harsh reality, and as we seek opportunities to help explain and explore the available options, we'll pass along the best of what we find. We're all in this together.

Sunday's Commercial Appeal brought back great memories from my days as an MUS student. Edward Felsenthal, executive director of The Daily Beast, a popular on-line news magazine, served as editor-in-chief of The Owl's Hoot in the early 1980s. He ran a respected operation, clearly the class of local high school rags, and his celebrity among the students extended to the broader East Memphis youth culture as his efforts supported some thoughtful and comedic editorials and articles. 

What I enjoyed most about Sunday's article was the tone in which Edward reminisced about his experience as a young person given his leadership role at school. He shouldered the mantle of the job admirably, intuitively sensing both the responsibility and the consequences of his words and deeds. Historically, most of our student leaders are capable of exhibiting similar qualities, and it is no surprise to hear of their future success. Edward is one in a long line of our exceptional student leaders, but he stands out in my mind, and I know many of us share a similar opinion. 

While I could not fully express my appreciation of his abilities then, his work attracted me, and it is satisfying to hear his positive reflection on his time here as a student. As teachers, we want our students to exhibit the sensibilities and satisfaction whereby they can, too, one day reflect upon their lives and sense a continuity running through their studies and relationships first developed on our watch. The big picture is ever present for us, and I know that Edward's instructors are satisfied by his thoughtfulness both while here and as a graduate.

Little Edwards are all around us today, scurrying around these halls, seeking something meaningful to produce, to conquer, to explore. Within our various courses of instruction, our job is to help give birth to as well as to nurture the infantile longings within the hearts and minds of our charges as the boys continue to uncover life and negotiate how to live it. Our's is a noble pursuit, and Edward's gracious responses to the people and instruction here motivate me to encourage more of the same.