For over seven years, Principal William K. Rawson ’71, P’08 has provided steady leadership that defined life at Phillips Exeter Academy. He constructed the pillars of the community with a focus on belonging, integrity, and unwavering dedication to non sibi in times when the Academy was learning how to heal and rebuild trust.

An interview with the Proliska staff was conducted in Ukrainian and translated into English by the author. The sleeper cars still smelled faintly of fabric and dust when the glass gave way.

Leadership on the boys’ varsity water polo team comes in two very different forms. Senior Jack Cassidy is the steady, disciplined captain who believes success comes from the smallest details—showing up early and practicing extra. His co-captain, senior Andrew Gao, couldn’t be more different: “I like water polo mostly because I like physicality and hitting people.”

On Sept. 13, new Exonians packed Love Gym, perusing Exeter’s many clubs while returning co-heads introduced their clubs. Piles of candy and trophies covered club booths. The gym echoed with tunes from Exeter Association of Rock and even bagpipes. Our fellow Exonians reflected on this day, full of new opportunities and interests, embedding first club meetings in their schedules.

On the beach, Jennifer Smith bends toward the sand, her fingers brushing through damp, salty pebbles until they close around a shard of sea glass. “I feel so centered and most myself when I’m on a beach and looking for sea glass,” she said.

Beyond the gates of the Academy lies the Town of Exeter, and a community of many who have called this place home for generations. Centuries-old buildings, businesses, and restaurants that are run by locals or families anchor the town. Exeter is much more than a beautiful backdrop to the Academy — it is a thriving community complete with its own local government, large-scale events, and well-preserved historical appeal.

Annually, the onset of October brings LGBTQIA+ History Month, a tradition started in 1994 by Rodney Wilson, a high school teacher in Missouri. The month brings together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities nationwide to celebrate these groups. Its celebration has great importance here on Exeter’s campus, with organizations like OMA and GSA collaborating to create an inclusive environment for the campus community.

On the quiet Wednesday morning of Feb. 12, students trekked through snow and frozen-over paths to Phillips Church, eager to hear the weekly senior meditation. At 9:50 a.m., senior Dara Ogunwale stood before them, ready to share her melodic story—a harmony of words, memories, and music that filled the air.

On Friday, Sept. 20, the senior class gathered to celebrate a beloved Academy tradition, the Senior Alumni Class Dinner. This event always provides a great opportunity for the students to make connections and gather insight from alumni. Along with great conversation, the participants also had the opportunity to listen to speeches by Principal Rawson and the Senior Class Representatives. This event was made possible by the General Alumni Association (GAA) and the Student Alumni Relations Council (STARS). “I think it’s a really interesting event,” remarked senior class president Ava Helbig. “Initially, I was really nervous to go to the event and network. But once I realized that the alumni weren’t there to tear us down or judge us. I understood they were there to set us up for success.”

The sun shone on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 16, as students shuffled into Phillips Church for the weekly meditation. While people seated themselves, the smooth, jazzy melody of “Glow Worm” by the Mills Brothers wove around the sanctuary. As the drums died down, Instructor of English Erica Plouffe Lazure stepped onto the stage, and began with a quote from Wiradjuri indigenous filmmaker and poet Jazz Money: “The origins and the destination are complex and twisting, but there you are, right in the middle of the world you’ve made with breath and word and story and the unknown, sharing that small world with infinite other worlds.”

Family Weekend is often a blast for many, with joyful reunions with parents and much-anticipated trips to Target or for some non-dining-hall food. Likewise, for those whose families could not make it to Exeter this time, especially international students, the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) sponsored a field trip for them to Boston. This way, nobody missed out on the fun.

When Charles Trueheart ‘65 stood behind the podium in Assembly Hall this week, it wasn’t the first time he had been in that room. Sixty years earlier, he sat in the same space as a new lower, having just arrived from Saigon, Vietnam. Back then, students gathered for Assembly six times a week, not two. The hours may have changed, but the special meaning of the space remains.

On a bright winter morning, current one-year senior Anastasia Kvashilava gave the second student meditation of the year. After the melody of “მე ვარ საქართველო” (“I am Georgia”) resonated in the air, Anastasia opened her speech with this statement: “I am from Georgia, and 20% of my country is occupied by Russia.” In her talk, Anastasia spoke about her tumultuous yet meaningful role in protesting for her home country, Georgia.

As the winter tightens its grip on campus, Exonians are confronted with the harsh realities of the New Hampshire chill. With biting winds and heavy snowfalls creating an icy environment, the seasonal shift brings not only frigid temperatures but also an uptick in illness among students. As daylight fades earlier and academic demands intensify, the health and well-being of the community hang in a delicate balance, resulting in a Lamont Health Center swamped by students.

On the still winter morning of Jan. 22, students gathered in Phillips Church to hear senior Claire Han’s meditation — a piece that captured the room with “love as a more sustainable fuel.”

The pop of a hot pink bubble of gum — vibrant, joyful, impossible to miss even if you try — captures the spirit senior Jacquelyn Addo carries as she moves through Exeter’s campus. When asked what color represented her, Addo didn’t hesitate: it has always been hot pink, bubble gum pink — a color as energetic and full of life as she is herself. That same brightness defines the legacy she hopes to leave behind at PEA — not of titles or accolades, but of connection. “I hope people will say that I’m a person that they can come to. I hope people feel like, ‘Oh, I am so stressed. I can come to Jackie and laugh.’ Because that’s my biggest thing,” she said. From the very beginning, Addo’s dream was to be measured by the simple, powerful ability to lift others up.

Every morning, a deep, clanging sound reverberates throughout the campus, filling many a stressed student’s soul with yet another bad omen sure to come true — you are indeed late for your math test. To some, especially visitors, the ancient time-marker and weathervane adds one final stroke onto the picturesque Academy Building. Yet, the history of this Exeter landmark lies well beyond the trivial hours it marks: in the over 500-pound structure one can find stories of legendary professors, secrets kept on stolen goods, and even student rebellion.

On Saturday, April 19, nearly 500 residents, students, and people from neighboring towns gathered outside the Exeter Town Hall for the “No Kings in America” protest. Organized by the Exeter Democratic Town Committee and Greater Seacoast NH Indivisible, the event aimed to call attention to concerns about democratic backsliding as well as growing fears of autocratic leadership in the U.S.