What is intelligence? It's a form of happiness. It's the confidence of really knowing something and the thirst to always know more. It's the joy of competing with one of the best math teams in New England, counting salamanders in an ecological field study, or debating development policy in Model UN. It's the satisfaction of a well-executed hit and run, the perfectly turned pirouette, or a trumpet solo built on the perfect phrase. It's about using the right way to do things as a means to discover your way to do things. And what could be smarter — or more fun — than that?

What is compassion? If you're going to practice it for real, compassion is a responsibility. It requires listening, sometimes to opinions that challenge your own. It requires self-reflection — asking yourself why you think what you think. It requires intelligence to see what needs to be done and the commitment to go do it. Compassion is anything but rare at NMH. You see it in the way students respect one another, the eagerness with which they take on leadership roles, and the enthusiasm with which they embrace service projects.

What is purpose? Well, this one is up to you (though we'll certainly help). You need to do some thinking and exploring, and then have the courage to say, "this is what I’m really about." And this is where NMH really shines - challenging you, supporting you, helping you turn your talents and passions into a plan for college and for life. There are plenty of models to follow. NMH graduates have been nominated for Oscars and Pulitzers, founded businesses and political movements, counseled presidents and chastised dictators. And they all started out as freshman asking themselves, "Who do I want to be?"