A reflection from Head Monitor Sawyer Locke '27
When people ask me, “Why Episcopal?” I think about how much I have changed since I first arrived. I came here expecting to be challenged in the classroom and to have opportunities outside of it. What I did not fully understand was how much the people and the community would shape me.
At Episcopal, your school becomes your home. You live with your classmates, eat meals together, compete on the same teams, and see your teachers and coaches all throughout the day. That creates friendships you might never have expected. Some of my best memories are not from major events, but from ordinary moments on dorm, at seated meals, during practice, or just talking with friends at the end of a long day.
Episcopal has also pushed me to try things and take on responsibilities I might not have pursued somewhere else. I have rowed crew, climbed, played lacrosse, served as a dorm prefect, started an engineering club, and participated in the Double Diamond Expedition where I summited the Grand Teton with 11 of my classmates. Now, I have the privilege of serving as Head Monitor. Through these experiences, I have learned that leadership is less about being in charge and more about being dependable, taking care of the people around you, and buying in.
One of the things I appreciate most is that people here notice your potential. Teachers, coaches, and friends encourage you to step outside your comfort zone. They expect a lot from you, but they also help you meet those expectations. Episcopal gives you room to succeed, make mistakes, learn, and keep growing to be the best version of you.
Our location near Washington, D.C., creates opportunities that few schools can offer, but what makes Episcopal special is what happens when we return to campus. We talk about what we have seen, question our own ideas, and learn from people whose experiences may be very different from ours.
Episcopal has given me close friendships, trusted mentors, greater confidence, and a stronger sense of who I want to become. It has also taught me that being part of a community means you take on a responsibility to make it better.
That is why Episcopal, for me. It is a place that will challenge you, believe in you, and give you the chance to become more than you thought you could be. Somewhere along the way, it also becomes home.
