Naropa Essay #2

I attended a four year public high school, with overcrowded classrooms and an under appreciated arts program. Now, I didn't grow up in the worst of neighborhoods, and even though the school's priorities weren't completely straight, I still ended up an alright gal. For the first three years of high school, I was completely ok with my surroundings, and then senior year hit. People started shoving UC's and Cal-States down my throat. I looked at these schools, but I couldn't find something I liked about any of them. I started to think something was missing. I wondered if this was how education was handled everywhere or if there just might be something better out there.

Last year, my friend, Nicole, and I attended Happy Valley School's graduation, in support of our friend, Lucy Bellwood. Happy Valley School is a small private high school out in the hills of Ojai that dedicates its education to a worldly knowledge of the arts and literature, while still enforcing a well-rounded understanding of all other subjects. Their main focus is the student; how to help them succeed, what learning techniques work best for them, how well they understand the material. Their school system works with the student, rather than against them. I did not know this about HVS last year when attending the graduation, but slowly started to comprehend how fantastic it was with each passing moment.

When Nicole and I arrived after a long and winding journey through the back-hills of Ojai, we were directed to where the ceremony was being held. It was, of course, outside, in the beautiful sunshine. There were about a hundred and fifty white folding chairs set up on their main lawn, facing towards a carefully constructed wooden stage, with a large podium on it. Nicole and I took our seats near the back, amongst all of these hippie-clad, down-to-earth beings. It was so different from the packed stadium ceremony I'd grown accustomed to at my high school. Being in such an intimate setting for a graduation was a definite culture shock for me and I loved it. I loved that every one knew each other, and that they were all so happy to see each other. It made me wish to know them, too.

But I kept quiet, and just sat and observed as the ceremony started with a speech given by their principal, followed by a speech I will never forget for as long as I live; it was given by Lucy's father, Peter Bellwood, a well-known and well-respected man in the Ojai community. His speech was filled with wit, and overflowed with wisdom. He emphasized the importance of childhood (accepting and preserving it), the wonderful ways adults can learn from children, and the overall significance of the word "try." He reassured us that there is a certain bravery involved in trying, and there is always a reward, even if you do “fail.”

By the time his speech was over, my mind was blown. All of this was almost too much for me to grasp. I didn't know a school like this existed, I didn't know there was a place like this that had such upstanding morals and ethics and such wonderful contributors. Then the principal took the mic and told us the next section would be completely devoted to the seniors, and speeches they had written themselves. I thought that they were going to have about two people or so give a couple speeches, and then they would read out the names of the seniors and hand out their diplomas. I couldn't have been more wrong. Each senior, each graduating senior, got to give their own speech. Each graduating senior got to express their experiences at HVS, thank the ones they love, share a witty line or two, and make an already fantastic ceremony even more amazing. Each student was so genuine in their speech, and each one was so reflective of that person. Some were 25 minutes, some were only 30 seconds, but each one was just as powerful as the next. I couldn't believe this was allowed, I couldn't believe this was actually happening, and for them it was so natural. This was how they were taught; to take hold of life, and express themselves beautifully through words and art and literature. Lucy's speech was of course witty and delightful, adorned with remarkable facial expressions and a full-on pirate costume. But there was also a sincere side to her speech as she thanked her parents and her teachers and her friends. This school had obviously meant so much to her, and I wanted to feel that way, too.

The ceremony ended with one of the seniors singing a song with a small band. It was followed by food and cake. I talked with a couple of the students and gave Lucy a hug. I shook Peter Bellwood's hand at least five times and repeated over and over that he was a "champion of champions." He smiled and gave me a hug. Nicole and I sat with Lucy and her family for a good hour or so, eating cake and laughing about old times, and then Nicole and I decided to leave. We said our goodbyes, and I thanked Lucy for inviting me to such a lovely occasion. As we were leaving, I took one last look at the campus and the people and told myself that this is what education should be like, and vowed to find some place where I, too, could experience this.

I've had a hard time with schools in the past, as far as finding the right one and being content with it, but so far none have even echoed the ethics taught at HVS. When I came across Naropa University, though, and read about its involvement with Buddhist beliefs and its main inspirations (Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Waldman, to name a few), I knew this school was exactly what I was looking for: an intimate rural setting, with a great admiration for the amazing poets and leaders of our time, and an effervescent belief in the importance of artistic license and freedom. It has been a dream of mine since that wonderful day at Happy Valley to attend a school that takes education seriously and doesn't see each student as a number, but as a person.