Rob Buyea

I’ve always been around farms, so it seemed natural to integrate Northfield Mount Hermon’s farm into the science classes. We do bacterial studies on milk samples and soil experiments with compost. We extract lavender oil and make documentaries about cow pregnancies. I want the students to understand and appreciate science, and the best way to do that is to let them have fun—to enjoy the process of discovery. Sometimes I even put students in charge of the class. They struggle sometimes to carry out the process correctly or they make mistakes. But it’s all good learning. In fact, I think it’s deeper learning when they do it themselves.

 

Kids who come to NMH are excited to get involved. They want to achieve. I feel that when I’m coaching wrestling. We have intense practices and I demand a lot from them. But we’ve been extremely successful. This year we were ninth in the country and at the top in New England. Even students who are new to the sport can step in and progress quickly. Some compete at varsity level by their second year. Everyone is just so motivated, and that’s motivating to me as a coach. So we all feed off one another’s enthusiasm.

 

I’ve thrived personally at NMH, too. Before I came here, I had started writing a children’s book. And even though I’m incredibly busy teaching, coaching, and raising my own kids, I’ve managed to complete the book and find a publisher. Maybe I’m just a typical NMH success story, but I feel pretty fortunate.

 

I reflect a lot on the messages we put out about educating the head, the heart, and the hand. I really believe we help kids do well for themselves and do good deeds for others. It sounds like an idealistic, beauty pageant thing to say, but at NHM, it’s really happening.