Q:
Who or what has had the most influence on
you in your career as an educator?
A:
I credit my parents with instilling in me my love for
natural beauty and my appreciation for boarding school
life. Growing up at a boarding school instilled in me my love
for school community. I watched my parents mentor and act as
parents to many young men and women who lived away from
home and I saw the difference they made to each student and to
their families. They planted the seed. My parents loved to explore
and be outside, we were an outdoors family. My father, forever
the geologist, biologist and botanist, pointing out examples
of every land formation and type of tree as we hiked the New
England mountain ranges. I still get quizzed about tree species
to this date! My mother, a natural storyteller, made every trip an
adventure with maps, laughter and creative picnic lunches. Little
did I know back then how much these childhood trips would
come to define me as an adult and inform my love for being
nomadic- living and working abroad and exploring the world.
Another person who has greatly influenced my career path
was Eric Widmer, my former Head of School at Deerfield
Academy. He saw something in me, maybe my potential
or perhaps my willingness to work hard and advocate
for students… he expressed his appreciation for my
interactions with students. He promoted me to Dean
of Students - a job that best fits my interactions with
students. I have a tendency to want to help others
and by focusing on student life and by utilizing
my training as a counselor, the role affords me
great opportunity to push students and get
them to see themselves in ways they might
not have imagined.
I believe everyone, children and adults, needs
someone to believe in them. People need
“cheerleaders,” those who cheer them on from
the sidelines, and I have had some pretty excellent
cheerleaders in my life! I am very grateful for the
support I’ve had and am so eager for our Keystone
Academy students to arrive so that community life can truly
begin here on our campus!
Wendy Bradley with husband Sean Terwilliger (Deputy Director of IT) in Cambodia
www.keystoneacademy.cn
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