"Original" Old Boys Toast Houses

This year’s Founding Roots Dinner on April 24th was truly special. For the first time, four graduates gave the House toasts, and they were grand, maybe the best ever! Noting that this year’s graduation will be the 15th in history, the after-dinner toasts were offered by graduates from Western’s very first graduating class of 2012.

This year's toasts were given by Western's very first graduates, (L-R) Nick O'Bar (Shell), Stephen Dunne (Raven), Kyle Smith (Water) and Stefan Nino (Green) 

Nick O’Bar (Shell)
“Being part of the House of the Shell isn't about being better than anyone else. It's about being accountable for how we lead. When I think about founding roots, I think about the men who dared to start Western Academy. Men who didn't follow what was easy. They followed what was right. They didn't wait for permission. They built something different. And because of that, we are all here today.” (TRANSCRIPT)

Nick O'Bar toasts his House of the Shell

Stephen Dunne (Raven)
“I was reading one day before our first Festival Day, and Mr. Hatch comes up to me, 'So, Mr. Dunne, are you going to do the poetry competition?' And I said, 'No, I don't think so, I'll do the next one,' thinking it was extra work, and it sounded a little intimidating, to be frank! Then, he looked me in the eye and he said, 'You know, that's fine, but Mr. Dunne, the most important thing with a festival day is that it's a feast, and what are you going to bring to the feast?' That stuck with me fifteen years later. I think that's emblematic of how Western faculty push young men, not just to do the things that are fun or easy, but to do the things that are meaningful and difficult.” (TRANSCRIPT)

Stephen Dunne toasting his House of the Raven

Kyle Smith (Water)
“When I arrived at Western, fifteen years ago, I was introduced to the headmaster, to the faculty, and to some stray animals, not to be confused with the 3rd graders! But the greatest introduction was the introduction to freedom. The freedom to roam, freedom to explore, and freedom to play.” (TRANSCRIPT)

Kyle Smith toasts his beloved House of the Water

Stefan Niño (Green)
“When we competed, when we found our strides in our own ways at Western, whether it was building forts, playing keep-away, playing the sports we preferred, giving speeches, playing Capture the Flag, or in academics. We all found moments we could excel in.” (TRANSCRIPT)

Stefan Nino toasted Green, concluding with an excellent poem

Here they they are with their 2012 class photos to match

Mr. Jason Hebert gave everyone a welcome and Mr. Chris Carroll was the MC. Both were founding faculty of Western

Class of 2012 grads, Stephen Dunne and Christopher Gosselin, with their wives

The faculty choir out in force this time with 13 singers, in honor of Mr. Pablo Antonio Melendez, who is leaving after teaching 3rd grade for eleven years