Building People

Back to where we began

Some of the Class of '97

This weekend was my 20 year school reunion. A number of Old Boys from 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 years ago came back to the school for an assembly, a tour of the grounds and a dinner.

High School years can be an incredibly exciting time of life. I think we over specialise once we become 'adults'. One of the great things about school years was the ability to give anything you liked a go. To explore. To play. Where the objective was learning.

I am a full on capitalist. That doesn't mean I think the rules of money making apply to everything. One of the biggest mistakes we make is thinking price determines value. Price is simply a clearing mechanism. It takes how much of something there is, and pushes it towards those who will pay the most.  That is an incredibly powerful way to make some things grow. Things you can count.

At school, there is also growth... but it isn't constrained by the rule of monetising. As I wandered the campus seeing the investment that had been made in these Boys' lives, I was both impressed, and more than a little jealous. Art, Drama, Music, Sport and various other activities were buzzing around the school, and the boys were full of fire and enthusiasm. How I would love to spend my time in that type of environment now!

The activities that made them glow were not necessarily the things that one day would 'make them a living'. They certainly make them come alive. I kept imagining a campus like the one the school has, but for all of us. Even when we are old.

A place built around community. A space devoted to people, relationships, learning, passion, communication and creativity. Libraries, Art Rooms, Theatres, Class Rooms, Fields, Gyms, Pools and places to gather and chat. A place devoted to the heart of life. A place that builds people.