Beaver Reflections:
I graduated from Beaver in 1965 and although I was only at Beaver for two years, I loved every second of my time there. I had been going to Catholic school so going to Beaver was an amazing experience and a welcome switch from my previous school. The teachers were great, the students were so friendly and inclusive, and the classes were challenging enough where it forced you to use your critical thinking skills. I remember how flexible and accommodating Beaver was when it came to my passion for dance. Instead of being forced to dance at Beaver, they allowed me to go into Boston after classes were done and practice there. I also have very fond memories of my classes and teachers. I enjoyed my history classes taught by Dr. Heider, who was such an intelligent man and amazing teacher. I ended up majoring in American history in college, and that was due in part to Dr. Heider. Overall, I loved all my teachers and they all had such an impact on my life. I was also involved with student government and was elected head of my homeroom junior year, which was so exciting considering that was my first year at Beaver.

What is #happeningnow in your life:
After graduating from Beaver I went to Barnard College and majored in American history. It was a great place because I loved the theater and art scene in New York City. I then received my master’s in English, which I really enjoyed. After college and my master’s degree, I went to Alaska for 10 years and started off traveling but it led to working for the state and completing revenue, health, and social service work. I did a research report on the longevity bonus which enables elderly Alaskans to have the financial means and support to stay in the state. After my time in Alaska, I had a brief stint teaching kids in Boston who had a hard time in the public school system. Although I liked it, the high school kids I taught were not in the age range that I wanted to teach. Following that, I got a job at Berwick Academy, another private school. I loved teaching the kids there because I had a chance to teach them through music, dancing, and other fun techniques. Since I have retired, more recently, my class from Beaver has had a big reunion and had the chance to really bond again. We all have been getting together informally and formally since that reunion which has been amazing because I get the chance to catch up with many of my classmates who I did not see as often after graduation. In one of the more recent Zoom meetings, we all shared our experiences of the pandemic. This was so eye-opening and poignant; everyone had such different perspectives and experiences that we decided to write them down and create a collection of essays.

“There is so much stress and negativity in the world, the last thing you want to do is compare yourself to others around you. Trust your family, friends, and teachers and understand that you are your own person! I believe that I am a lifelong learner but I credit Beaver with setting me up and putting me on my own personalized path.”
– Christine Quinn-Thibodeau ’65

Advice to Beaver students:
“Don’t feel like you are not smart enough. As a child and student I would have many doubts about what I could do and how smart I was. However, over the years, I have learned to go for it! Just do it! Do the best you can, try your hardest, and the rest will come”