The school year has kicked off with a heaping spoonful of excitement around campus—and a dash of service—for the perfect blend of Blair. From the start of classes and Convocation to our first Community Weekend, fall is in full swing on the hilltop!

Once bags were unpacked on the final registration day, students were swept into preliminary orientation activities. Ninth- and 10th-grade classes met to learn about the Five Fundamentals of Blair, Belonging and Equity, and how to Be Well at Blair. This programming focused on the foundational elements of being a member of the Blair community and how to ensure well-being is balanced with academics, athletics and extracurricular commitments.

Along with meetings on college counseling for seniors and leadership for juniors, the upper class took time to give back during their first official day on campus. Students gathered in the field house to support Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger-relief nonprofit that coordinates the packaging and distribution of food and other aid in developing nations. Blair partnered with the organization for last year’s Day of Service to pack an impressive 10,000 meals. During Orientation, juniors and seniors doubled last year’s record, packing up 20,000 meals to support people facing food insecurity in Vietnam.

“The event was filled with high energy and good vibes,” shared Gina Trish, community service coordinator and fine arts teacher. “The students had a ton of fun and the time went by so quickly. I was stunned at how motivated they were to work fast and pack meals.”

As Associate Head of School Ryan M. Pagotto ’97 explained in his summer letter to parents, Blair’s early start to classes is designed to address the questions that are often top of mind for students entering a new school year: “Where is my class located? What are my teachers like? Who else is in my class?” He added, “We believe in providing answers to those questions as soon as possible.” By the time classes began on Tuesday, new students were already finding their way around campus with the help of those who already know it well.

As students settled into the routine of classes and the first family-style dinners Tuesday and Thursday evenings, the week concluded with the official opening of school at Convocation Friday night. Then it was on to orientation on Saturday, when students broke into groups based on grades and enjoyed team- and community-building activities.

While the Class of 2027 got straight to work with the college counseling team, the ninth grade traveled to the Princeton-Blairstown Center, an outdoor education facility dedicated to building confidence, leadership and life skills through adventure-based, experiential learning. Tenth-graders gathered for games on the turf before an adventurous hike on the Appalachian Trail to Catfish Fire Tower for amazing views of northwestern New Jersey. Eleventh graders took over campus with different challenges to build camaraderie and participated in a faculty “search-and-tag” that had everyone engaged.

“Orientation is such an exciting time because it sets the tone for the year and gives students a chance to reconnect and build new relationships,” Director of Student Activities Willy Kaiser’18 said. “This was our first year introducing Color Wars, and it was great to see students embrace the friendly competition. The energy throughout the week was an awesome reminder of what makes the Blair community so special.”