"My years at Canterbury under the tutelage of its wonderful faculty helped shape my into who I am today. The foundation they helped build put me a step above the rest when I started college. You always hear from alums about how the writing skills learned in Ms. Brown’s English courses were the single most helpful tool that helped them achieve success in college. They were right. Receiving that first “C” (the first of a slew to come) in Ms. Brown’s freshman English class was the exact sort of wake-up call I needed.
While we certainly had our share of whining and griping about the “unfairness” of going from “A” and high “B” students to celebrating the rare “B-," I must admit that always being held to that higher standard is what allowed my peers and me to advance our writing and critical reading skills in leaps and bounds. Simply put, the work Ms. Brown does in shaping us into college-ready students is nothing short of incredible.
But let’s not forget the rest of the amazing faculty that work so hard to ensure the future success of all who come through Canterbury. I think if there were more Mr. Johnson’s, Mr. Murphy’s, and Mr. Wyness’s in the world, that we would all be better off. Each in turn taught me the necessary skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s world, ranging from Ethics and the art of giving a decent speech to Calculus, Chemistry, and the ever-amusing events that are Envirothon and Mu Alpha Theta. While I can’t say I actively utilize what I learned from them every day, you would be surprised how much being knowledgeable about a variety of subjects other than who won American Idol (do people still watch that?) can help you in your interactions with others.
The beauty of Canterbury is that it is small enough to allow you to do anything and learn anything you want (within reason, of course), yet big enough to have the resources to make it possible. I remember how it was the norm to be on a variety of athletic teams, while also doing the school play or participating in one of the many clubs. People in college won’t believe you when you say you did all of those things in high school, but believe me, you are far better off for having done them.
The point of a Canterbury education is to become the next Renaissance men and women of tomorrow. I know I have named barely a fraction of the incredible educators that Canterbury has to offer, but I can tell you that they are all there to see you become the best you can be. Cherish your time at Canterbury, but also take advantage of the opportunity it represents and realize that it is the first step in a long and interesting journey to come.
Most of all, appreciate the incredible teachers that you have. Not everyone has the opportunity to be raised in the Canterbury environment. It certainly had its ups and downs when I was there, but one thing that never changed was that the faculty cared about you and wanted you to succeed. I cannot say this enough (and I wish I had been more cognizant of it when I was in school), but the faculty at Canterbury are all truly amazing people, representing incredible resources from which the foundation of you are to become in this world is built. Just thought I would share some thoughts on what the Canterbury faculty mean to me."
Sincerely,
Clark Gairing, Raymond James & Associates
Canterbury, Class of 2010
Centre College, Class of 2014