June 9, 2025
Category: Athletics, Camping Trip, Community, Faculty & Staff, Music, Performing Arts, Student Travel, Visual Arts
Waring School isn’t just a place of learning; it’s a vibrant community woven together by great traditions and a shared passion for growth. From Camping Trip that kicks off the year to Commencement, our community offers many special events and traditions that make us unique. These annual activities create lasting memories and set Waring apart as a remarkable educational experience.
As we come to the end of the 2024/2025 school year, we asked our students and faculty to name their favorite Waring activity, event, or tradition. The answers varied and showcased the exceptional community of young adults and dedicated faculty and staff. Here are some Waring students’ “Favorite Things” and why they love them.
Kicking off each school year is the time-honored Camping Trip, a three-night trip to the North Woods YMCA camp north of Wolfeboro, NH, where the community gets to know each other before the start of school.
Zoe (‘29) named this event as one of her favorites for several reasons: “A few highlights are the final day and all of the ceremonies that happen that day, the cinnamon coffee cake for breakfast on one of the days, and just generally the vibes of the whole thing are awesome.”
Student travel is an integral part of life at Waring, including trips to Montreal, Alabama and Orléans and Paris, France, as part of the 9th Grade Exchange Program and the Junior Trip. Group 1 travels to Montgomery, Alabama, where they visit key civil rights locations, including the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the area of Rosa Parks’ arrest, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Our Core students travel to Montreal, Canada, where they visit the Biodôme and art museums, eat at restaurants with varied cuisines, and hear French spoken in everyday situations.
Cira (‘28) enjoyed traveling to France because, “I got to travel to a new place. And bond more with my grade.”
Harrison (‘28) also cherished travel to Paris because, “We had a lot of free time, and it was cool to be with friends in a famous place. I really enjoyed sharing the experience with my friends.”
Audrey (‘29) loved the Alabama Trip and said, “I loved it because of the educational and bonding experience with my grade.”
Similarly, Madeline (‘29) enjoyed the Alabama Trip and said, “It was incredibly moving and fascinating to learn more about the country I live in. The chaperones were super supportive and fun to be around, and so was my whole grade. I will always remember this trip.”
Sierra (‘30) loved the Montreal Trip and said, “It was fun to hang out with my friends.”
From ensemble-based roles to individual performances and projects, Waring nurtures students’ artistic and theatrical instincts. Opportunities to shine include annual concert performances in the theatre and the Cabot in Beverly, soirée evenings, and theatrical productions such as this year’s Footloose, and the beloved Cabaret.
The Core play was V’s (‘30) choice of Favorite Thing as “I feel like I spent a lot of quality time with people I wouldn’t usually hang out with.”
Bea (‘28) chose the Cabaret as her Favorite because “There was so much diversity of the acts, and the students did an incredible job preparing and vision planning. The atmosphere was just right, and the talent was unmatched!” Sam W. (‘27) also chose Cabaret since it “had a great energy. It was funny and beautiful and in general, just so fun to be there.” Dylan (‘26) remarked, “It was a great show of the creativity of so many members of our community. Everyone did a great job. People will be talking about it for decades to come.” And Nyla (‘28) loved Cabaret since “It had a very comedic and supportive vibe.”
For Lyla (‘31), the soirée performances proved to be her Favorite: “I was showing my passion to the community and felt very accepted. It was a powerful experience. I also loved listening to everybody else’s talents at the soirée to see how everybody shines in their own way.”
Waring students shine in the classroom, theatre and on the athletic field. Many students explained that their Favorite Things included athletic offerings such as soccer games, lacrosse matches, basketball games, and even the lunchtime foosball competitions.
Katherine (‘28) explained that sports at Waring were her Favorite Things. “My favorite Waring activity is probably sports games. I love being on the field. But I also love the row of parents all cheering on people. I love how sometimes teachers will come outside to watch, and you get to see how their support translates to all aspects of your life at Waring. They don’t just want to see you succeed writing their paper, but also with a ball at your feet, and are going to cheer you on the whole way through.”
Nico (‘28) held a similar feeling about games at Waring. “I really feel the community while I am in that space and I also like that it is all ages and everyone has each other’s backs.”
A soccer lover, Henry (‘30) explained that soccer games were his Favorite, “I really like the enthusiasm in all the players, and, of course, I love the sport.”
Kate (‘27) enjoyed lunchtime foosball games when it’s too cold to eat outdoors when she said “It was such a fun activity to do during the indoor eating in winter. It really helps kids form connections too.”
Jack has a particular Favorite memory involving the Varsity Girls Basketball comeback win. “Got to experience my first head coaching win, players deserved it after sticking together through some tough moments/seasons.”
Waring CommencementWaring commencement is all about celebrating Waring seniors and giving them a proper send-off to their next adventure. Iona (‘30) said it best when she explained why it was her Favorite moment at Waring.
“It was so nice to hear how all of the seniors felt about their time at Waring. Even though it was really sad and made me cry, it made me excited to be a senior so that I might make a speech about how amazing my experience at Waring has been.”
