AROUND CAMPUS
In Celebration of Fathers , Mothers , Special Caregivers and Their Sons
May saw the celebration of the special relationships of fathers and mothers and those who assume these roles in the lives of our boys , through two of Saint David ’ s traditions : the Seventh Grade Father-Son Book Talk and Dinner , and the Fifth Grade Mother-Son Chapel .
Held in the spring of seventh grade just as our boys begin planning the transition to their next school and when their families are engaging in conversations about life and “ what comes next ,” the Father ( or father figure ) -Son evening features a book talk by an author and focuses on the power of supportive and loving relationships .
This year , we warmly welcomed Alum Ben Lindbergh ’ 01 , Regis and Georgetown graduate , staff writer for The Ringer and host of the Effectively Wild : A FanGraphs Baseball Podcast , to discuss The Only Rule Is It Has to Work , his book about his and fellow baseball analyst and co-author Sam Miller ’ s adventure running an independent minor-league baseball team ’ s operations using advanced statistics . As he engaged with the seventh graders and dads present , Ben spoke enthusiastically of his time as a Saint David ’ s student . He recalled how his two passions – “ writing and baseball ” – were nurtured when he was a student here . That encouragement enabled him to forge a successful career marrying both .
The annual Fifth Grade Mother-Son Chapel gathers our fifth-grade boys and their mothers or mother figures for a special shared pre-Mother ’ s Day experience ; a Chapel Talk by a young alumnus who reflects upon the role his mother has played in his life . Teddy Roberts ’ 19 , a senior at Hackley who will begin studying at Georgetown in the fall , expressed his gratitude for the preparation and love he has received from his mother throughout his life , crediting her for guiding him to be a good man . “ It comes back to Saint David ’ s and the values it teaches , and the positive influences at home ,” he said . “ My mom has been with me every step of the way . Mom has provided me with all of the abilities I need to thrive .”
Noted Dr . O ’ Halloran , “ We know from research that a boy ’ s sense of connection to parents ( parent figures ) is the most important factor influencing his well-being ; the second most important is a boy ’ s sense of connection to his school . Providing these special occasions for our moms and dads ( or the people who carry out these roles ) to have shared meaningful experiences with their sons at Saint David ’ s is a powerful way to enhance those connections .”
Summer 2023 • 51