The Williston Northampton School - Review #7

Williston is generally a laid back school that accepts everyone for who they are. There isn't a division among the student body with day students, boarders, athletes, and art students. The international kids associate themselves with everybody either from playing sports or just in the dorm. Williston is a place where everyone can be themselves, it is a community.

Williston has been a place where I have become a better student, but I feel that I have gain more from simply interacting with adults and my peers. You are constantly surrounded by people and constantly thinking even when you think you're just hanging out in the quad.

My advice is to be open and be willing to take chances.

There isn't pressure from the school to conform. Everyone is accepted for who they are. The school is laid back, yet still focused on its mission statement to help you grow into a better student and person.

Get a Harris Egg sandwich at the Stu-Bop (Student Cafe). Great Sandwich named after a great man.

Williston makes you write. You become a better writer. Before Williston I attended a large public school where 30 kids were in each class; tests and quizzes consisted of multiple choice. It was impossible for teachers to grade papers and free response answers for four or five classes (that's over 100 students' papers to grade).At Williston you have to know the material to be successful. It is without a doubt challenging, but there are resources available to help a student when they need instruction. At Williston the teacher's are accessible in the morning, after school and during study hall. I can't stress enough how vital that has been to my and so many other Williston students' success.You will be challenged, but you will become a better writer and a better student.

I can only speak about Football and Hockey, but the level of competition Williston plays at is among the best in New England. Williston plays a challenging Football schedule and the Hockey Team plays one of the toughest Prep Schedules in the Country. Every game we played in featured top D-1 and D-3 college prospects. The coaching staffs are all ex-college players from Division 1 and Division 3 schools. If you are looking to play at the college level, the combination of the coaching and the extremely high level of play, you'll be able to improve your game.

I played in the Concert Band for 3 years and that was a great way to stay involved with music without being extremely demanding. We only met once a week, but still played some great soundtrack pieces and pop music arrangements.I wasn't really involved with the fine and performing arts, but it is a privilege to see the works of my classmates displayed in the art galleries along the student center hallways. The theater performances seem like off-Broadway quality. The set design, lighting, costumes and acting by the students is phenomenal. There isn't just "theater kids"; the spring play of my senior year featured the soccer captain as the lead role of Pippin.

The extra-curricular activities are pretty endless. There is a club for anything, and if you are just looking for an activity for the weekend, our activity director will put it together as long as there are other kids interested. I remember wanting to go to the New Yankee Stadium when it opened in 2009, and the activity director got tickets and transportation a couple days later for a great price.

I lived in the two large boys dormitories during my three years. Memorial Hall West (we call it "Mem West") and Ford Hall was where I lived and the best memories I have from Williston are in those dorms. A great thing about boardings school is that every night you're able to hang out with you're friends. There is a lot to say when it comes to boarding at Williston, but I'll try to sum it up by saying it is like a second home.We do study, I can't overlook that aspect because living in a dorm is a tremendous advantage for a student academically. Figuring out challenging problems with your classmates or asking a more skilled peer is very convenient.

I'm not a picky guy and I usually like the food. I'm spoiled at home by my mother and Long Island Italian food, but I'm always able to find something that I can enjoy at the dining hall. They have your veggies, grilled chicken and other healthy options...there is always salad and an assortment of 15 different salad dressings. It is buffet, but there is a grille that cooks eggs to order, stuffed French toast, stir fry, pasta sautee, etc.The dining hall is only open during meal time, but I'll say what I'm not supposed to and let you know that the door is unlocked during the day so you can sneak a glass of milk or Powerade. If you're hungry during the day, there is a cafe in the student center that serves snacks, burgers, and all that good stuff.

Williston is not like most prep schools because we're not isolated. We don't have cows or a lack of cell phone reception. The town of Easthampton has plenty of restaurants and grocery shops, and then up the road on a 10 minute ride or $1 bus ride is the small city of Northampton. Northampton is a popular destination for Williston students on Saturday nights. It is easy to get to and the restaurants are great.The location of Williston definitely sets itself apart, but if you like no cell reception and the smell of farm animals, Williston might not be the place for you.

We're a community.We have hockey players hanging out with a kid that paints.We have New Yorkers sharing a room with a kid from India.A Korean is a defensive tackle on the football team.The whole school shows up to support the girls soccer team for a Friday night game.We have fan buses for rivalry and playoff games.Teachers teach, coach, and mentor students.