Relational Learning Is Lasting Learning

One of my goals this year has been to get to know Proctor by being present with our students, not just observing, but fully participating alongside them. Serving as a Project Period Leader gave me exactly that opportunity.

Project Period is a week when students step away from their regular schedules and choose from a wide range of on and off-campus experiences, each designed and led by faculty who are sharing something they are passionate about. It is, at its core, an expression of what we believe about learning: that it is most powerful when it is lived and shared.

I had the opportunity to spend the week with a group of seniors in their final months at Proctor. Jimmy and I brought the group to our home in Maine, a place that holds deep meaning for us. It felt important to share that part of our lives with them and to design a week rooted in new experiences and time together.

At Maine Maritime Museum, one of the educators there invited our students to act out the process of building a wooden cargo schooner as it would have been done in the early 1900s. Suddenly, Brodie ‘26 was playing the governor of Wyoming, who had commissioned a ship on the coast of Maine. Axel '26 stepped into the role of foreman overseeing the build, and the rest of the group became the crew. It was funny, a little chaotic, and completely alive. I am certain that none of them will ever forget how a ship was actually built in that era. When you learn something alongside others, it sticks.

At the Colby College Museum of Art, each student spent time exploring on their own, choosing a piece that they loved or questioned to share with the group. Every student chose something they loved, and almost all of the pieces were rooted in nature. They spoke about light, memory, and home, and about how the work made them feel. It struck me, as it has all year, how quickly Proctor students let you into their hearts.

We also spent time working together to install a wind guard at the Waterville YMCA and Boys & Girls Club baseball field, a place that helps make youth athletics more accessible to a wider range of community members. The work was harder than expected and required patience, teamwork, and a willingness to stay with something until it was done. When we reflected on the week, this was the highlight for many, not because it was easy, but because it was shared. There was a lot of laughter and a real sense of pride when it was done.

What I didn't expect was how quickly I would feel close to this group. Four days together, and these students felt like my people. On our final day, Axel ’26 wrote in the group journal, “Ultimately, I will look back on this trip with nothing but positivity and will treasure the new relationships I have built.”

Relationships are a treasure, and at Proctor, they are built with intention. What these students reminded me throughout the week is that a Proctor education is not defined by any individual class, program, or activity. It is defined by relationships, shared experience, and the genuine desire to be together.

Read More from Head of School Amy Smucker