With my secondary school diploma in hand, poised to begin my first year at Harvard University, it is now very easy for me to see how instrumental Abelard has been in getting me to where I am today. In preparing me and my classmates for higher learning, in teaching us to read and think critically, and most of all in opening our wondering eyes to the pure excitement of academic learning, Abelard has been nothing short of spectacular.

This is a school where all the grade ten students read the Iliad, where the grade 12 English class reads Joyce’s Ulysses, and where the third-year Latin class reads Vergil in the original. Academically, Abelard gives its students something to sink their teeth into.

But it wasn’t just the interesting and rigorous coursework that made me come to love Abelard. Guiding us through such a challenging curriculum was a set of the most intelligent, highly educated, and dedicated teachers I have ever known. Whether to help with a difficult concept, to provide extra information for curious students, or simply to chat about this or that, Abelard’s teachers with their infinite patience were always there for us. And it was with this enriching encouragement that I and each of my classmates could learn to explore our own ideas—both about our schoolwork and about the world around us.

Abelard, with its small size, inclusive warmth, and quirky student body, sees each of its classes gel together and learn from each other—and incidentally, I think I would not be too far off the mark to boast that we have the best class discussions in the city. Abelard not only guided me towards a great university experience, but it also gave me the skills I will need to thrive there, and the sense of belonging to a community that will enable me to stand on my feet. Many Abelard alumni seem to stay in touch with the school for years after they graduate, and I don’t think this is a coincidence: after an experience like Abelard, some part of you just can’t ever leave.