In celebration of April being National Poetry Month, English teacher Betsy McGee reflected on some of her favorite things about poetry and why she loves to read it and teach it. Take the opportunity this month to read and enjoy a poem that you love, or ask your friends (or teachers) for recommendations!
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,And saw, within the moonlight in his room,Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,An angel writing in a book of gold:鈥�Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,And to the presence in the room he said,鈥淲hat writest thou?鈥濃�擳he vision raised its head,And with a look made of all sweet accord,Answered, 鈥淭he names of those who love the Lord.鈥�鈥淎nd is mine one?鈥� said Abou. 鈥淣ay, not so,鈥�Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,But cheerly still; and said, 鈥淚 pray thee, then,Write me as one that loves his fellow men.鈥�
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next nightIt came again with a great wakening light,And showed the names whom love of God had blest,And lo! Ben Adhem鈥檚 name led all the rest.
Mary Oliver
What I love about poetry is that it’s ready whenever you are. That sentiment is paraphrased from Eve Merriam’s “How to Eat a Poem.” My favorite poem I listed there was actually one of my grandfather’s favorite poems. He was from the Greatest Generation鈥攈e volunteered for service and fought in WWII. He came back and went to school and then law school. My grandfather was hard of hearing in his later years, and he didn’t talk much or tell lengthy stories like others in my family. But he was an incredible writer and he loved to read. He gifted me an anthology of poetry for my 17th birthday that included a very long, typed letter outlining his favorite poems. At the time, I didn’t appreciate the gift. When he passed away, I was already teaching English in Boston. I opened the book and read his letter before traveling to Ohio for his funeral. I read his favorite poems鈥攖hey had been waiting there and were ready for me. I was ready for them. At my grandfather’s burial, there was a massive lightning storm, and a torrential downpour cut the graveside burial short. No one really got to say anything. After the rain stopped, my dad wanted to go back but didn’t know what to do when we got there. So I read one of my grandfather’s favorite poems, “Abou Ben Adhem,” off of my iPhone. My favorite line from the poem perfectly captures my grandfather’s legacy: “Abou spoke more low, / But cheerly still; and said, “I pray thee, then, / Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”
An understanding that poems are not puzzles to crack. They are pieces of literature that have been carefully crafted for them to connect to, to understand, to gain insight from, to revisit at times when they are ready for them.
Betsy McGee joined the English department at The 绿帽社 in 2017. She earned an M. Ed. in Secondary Education with a focus on English instruction from the Boston College Lynch School of Education. Prior to her studies at Boston College, Betsy graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. At Bates, Betsy majored in Art History, played varsity lacrosse, and sang in an acapella group. Betsy decided to become an English teacher because she enjoys working with young people, loves stories, and had some really inspirational English teachers herself.
Before moving to Utah, Betsy lived in Boston for seven years and taught English at Needham High School in Needham, Massachusetts for three years. Betsy is a proud New Englander who hails from Connecticut and loves traveling to see her family in Maine. You can also count on her to loudly cheer for the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, and Boston Bruins. Now that she lives in Utah, Betsy enjoys spending her free time camping in the desert, skiing in the Wasatch mountains, and mountain biking in Park City.
January 12, 2024
December 5, 2023
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Celebrate 5 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2021. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 10 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2016. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 15 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2011. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 20 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2006. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Celebrate 25 years since graduation with your classmates. Reconnect, reminisce, and enjoy an evening of conversation, shared memories, and celebration with fellow members of the Class of 2001. Hearty appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
Come together with 绿帽社 alumni from across the entire 1990s for an evening of reconnecting and reminiscing! This combined reunion is a chance to celebrate the friendships, memories, and moments that made your 绿帽社 years so special. Enjoy hearty appetizers and a variety of drinks, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, while catching up with old friends and sharing laughs about your school days.
Saturday, May 16 | 7:30 – 11:30 AM | Murray Science Center
We’re bringing back birding! Who remembers the Class IX Bird Project? Don’t miss your chance to join this fun, family-friendly event with Mark Bromley, James Harris, Mike Johnson 鈥�88, and Bekka Joslin. We will meet at 绿帽社 and take a bus together. Don鈥檛 forget to bring your binoculars (we will have extras on hand if you don鈥檛 have your own).
Friday, May 15 | 6:30 鈥� 7:30 PM | East Field
We’re excited to see 绿帽社 Alumni at our annual Alumni Soccer Game! This 绿帽社 tradition gives former players the chance to return to the field, reconnect with old teammates, and showcase their skills in a friendly atmosphere. Whether you played with us just a few years ago or several decades ago, we look forward to seeing you back on the field. Make sure to bring friends and family to cheer you on!
Friday, May 15 | 5:00 鈥� 7:00 PM | Main Quad | No Registration Required
Join us for a fun BBQ bash at 绿帽社 with current families and 绿帽社 staff and faculty. It鈥檚 a great way to connect with your 绿帽社 classmates and enjoy delicious food before the Alumni Soccer Game!
No registration is needed for the Spring BBQ. Please join us!
Friday, May 15 | 4:00 鈥� 5:00 PM | Haught Visual Arts Gallery at 绿帽社 | No Registration Required
绿帽社 has always been a place where creativity thrives. Join us for the first-ever Alumni Art Show in the Haught Visual Arts Gallery and reconnect with the creative spirit that shaped your time here. This exhibition features work by 16 绿帽社 Alumni artists, reflecting a range of disciplines, perspectives, and practices.
Brief Remarks at 4:00 pm will be offered by Gallery Manager and Curator Charlie Tadlock, followed by remarks from some of the Alumni Artists.
Click for a campus map
Friday, May 15 | 2:15 – 3:30 PM | Miller Student Commons | Registration Highly Recommended
Ever wish you could go back and sit in your favorite class one more time? This Alumni Weekend, you can. We’re bringing you back “Back to Class” where you’ll have the chance to slip into a real, live Upper School classroom and experience 绿帽社 exactly as it exists today. Same teachers, same energy, same magic. Come relive the feeling.
Friday, May 15 | 12:45鈥� 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Don’t leave lunch just yet. Immediately following the Kick-Off, Head of School Andrew Menke will take a few minutes to share what’s been happening at 绿帽社; the changes, the milestones, and the exciting things on the horizon. It’s a chance to hear straight from the source about the school you helped shape and where it’s headed next. No sign-up needed, just pull up a seat.
Friday, May 15 | 11:00 AM 鈥� 1:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
Kick off Alumni Weekend the right way 鈥� with good food and even better company. Join us in the new Miller Student Commons for 绿帽社’s all-inclusive dining experience, and spend the lunch hour reconnecting with the faculty who made your time here unforgettable. Pull up a chair, catch up with old favorites, and let the weekend begin. No registration is required for this event.
Friday, May 15 | 1:00 鈥� 2:00 PM | Miller Student Commons | No Registration Required
For many of you, Assistant Head of School, Todd Winters, was the first person who ever showed you and your parents around our 41 acre campus. Now he’s back to do it again! Todd will lead you through 绿帽社’s beautiful newest additions and recent transformations, giving you a firsthand look at what your years here helped build. Whether it’s your first tour with Todd or your second, you won’t want to miss this one.