In April 2015, while some of our 2018 graduates and academics. Boarding school really prepares
joined a Habitat for Humanity house build project you to be a college student,” he offered. “Parents
in southern China, others journeyed to Kathmandu send their children to boarding school to build
in Nepal to volunteer in local communities. “We character and prepare for university life. If they
visited a local school in Kathmandu. The class- over-focus on their child, they will not grow up,”
rooms were rough, humid, dim, and narrow. The added Ms. Ma, Jacky’s mother.
desks and chairs were old and unstable. Some
of us made friends with the local students, and As for Nancy Li ‘18, she now feels stronger, more
taught them games and sports. Others painted the courageous, bold, and steadfast.“Being a board-
wall for the school,” recalled Nancy Li ’18. “What ing student has given me greater gains and enough
most touched me was that at the end of the morn- time and space to think about life and self. I think
ing, when I needed to leave for lunch, each of them this is very valuable, and solitude can make you
actively shook hands with me and said “friend”. face yourself calmly and think a lot. I have spent
My feeling at that moment was indescribable.” a lot of time thinking about things in the past
Two weeks after returning to Beijing, a devas- ed:“I think that students have the opportunity to
four years,” she reflected. Wesley Wu ‘18 add-
tating earthquake damaged the areas where our forge strong bonds at Keystone. Before the exams,
students had worked and they asked to return to everyone was in the library and helped each
Nepal to assist with the earthquake relief efforts. other to ask questions, from morning to evening.
In April 2016, they journeyed back to Nepal to help Community implies the sharing of resources”.
with the rehabilitation efforts in one of the earth-
quake-torn villages.
New Beginnings
Over the course of their time at Keystone and
as part of our residential life program, many of “What our graduates do in college, and how they
our seniors have also been dorm proctors, stu- lead their lives after college, is more important
dent leaders who care for their boarding peers, than where they go to college. That said, we do
which has further facilitated the forging of bonds, want our students to go to colleges that are right
building of character and honing of leadership for each individual’s interests, needs, and person-
skills:“When you go to university abroad, you’re ality. Finding this fit requires patience, expertise,
far from home,” explained Jacky Liang ‘18. “If you and in many cases, education about the vast num-
stay at a boarding school, you have the experience ber of inspiring institutions that are not big brand
of not being with your parents. They can’t help names,” noted Mr. McKenzie in a weekly address
you, so you need to be the master of your fate. You to the community.
need to control your time, finances, relationships,
The Keystone Magazine 15