inquiry and engagement boarding school

By David and Natasha Chomas, P ’19

We first discovered The White Mountain School when searching for a summer program to allow our son, Justin, to explore his new-found interest in rock climbing.  It was Justin who discovered what an exceptional place White Mountain is and set about convincing us to allow him to apply for admission!

We were not a “boarding school family” but quickly recognized the uniqueness of WMS. We were particularly drawn to the school because of its values, size, and culture. We worried that Justin would disappear in our town’s large high school but were confident that there would be no place to hide at the School.  White Mountain seemed to be the perfect fit.  Justin felt it and we felt it – none of us were wrong.

Our hopes were realized on drop off day! We quickly got the, “you can go home now,” signal from Justin – we knew he had found the right fit.  We love the frequent, open, and honest communication we receive from the staff and faculty which further cemented our feelings about White Mountain.  Justin enjoys his breaks at home but always looks forward to returning to his school and his friends.  When we first learned about supporting White Mountain, we were so happy to do so that we each, individually gave money to the Annual Fund without realizing the other had done so already!

The White Mountain School has provided Justin with insight and experiences he never would have had in our local school system.  From the Student-Driven Inquiry based learning and LASR projects to academic immersion experiences on Field Courses, White Mountain has given Justin the space he’s needed to truly discover what he is passionate about and find meaningful direction for the next phase of his life. Thanks to White Mountain, our son has become more confident and skillful, while also developing his love of climbing and discovering other outdoor activities like backcountry skiing and ice climbing!  His experiences at White Mountain have fostered his love of nature and the outdoors and exposed him to a wealth of career opportunities he never knew existed.  After graduation, Justin will be pursuing a Forestry degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism. His goal: a career in conservation law enforcement.  We are so proud of him and 100% confident that we made the right choice by investing in our son’s future with a White Mountain education.

The White Mountain School has exposed Justin to so many positive opportunities and we feel lucky that he, and we, are a part of the White Mountain community.  For these reasons and so many more, we are very happy to support The White Mountain School today and beyond Justin’s graduation with gifts to both the Annual Fund and Now is the Time Campaign.

The White Mountain School, like all independent schools, relies heavily on alumnae/i, parents, neighbors and friends for support. The very foundation of independent education in America is based upon charitable support, and The White Mountain School has been part of this tradition for more than 125 years. Independent schools are sustained by the good work and charitable resources of the community it serves. Gifts help White Mountain continue to thrive, improve the School’s offerings and directly impact the School’s immediate and long-term fiscal well-being.

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