Spring break "tradition" dies

By Tara Larson '07

The Nassau trip. "For many, the great appeal is all the opportunities for unsupervised drinking and the risky and sexual behavior that follows." This statement was made in a controversial letter sent out to the parents of the class of 2006 at the end of October by the Dean of Students' office, the Headmaster, and the director of Parent Programs.

Various reactions in turn sparked the disintegration of the senior trip to Nassau and instead sent students and parents searching for alternatives.

The letter addressed issues from the substantial hidden costs that make the trip difficult for some students to afford, to the impulsive and often irrational behavior of unsupervised teenagers.

Referring to Dr. Elizabeth Jorgensen's Parents' Weekend discussion of the adolescent brain development, the letter stated, "Adolescents have not developed the decision-making capacity in their frontal lobes that the challenges and temptations of our current world require."

While this was the first time a letter on this topic had been sent to parents. Headmaster Eric Widmer said, "This letter was not unlike the letter of concern regarding senior parties sent to parents at the end of every school year."

Tom Henry, director of Parent Programs. explained how "For many families there is a sense that this sort of trip is a Deerfield tradition, when in fact, it is not. It is a thing that Deerfield students do, but it has nothing to do with Deerfield at all. The purpose of the letter was to clarify for Deerfield parents and families the genesis of the trip [to the Bahamas]." In fact. Junior class Dean Pamela Bonanno said, "This type of large-scale gathering is a relatively new concept of the past three years for Deerfield. Never before was there a unified sense of the seniors wanting to be together over spring break for a 'class trip."'

The purpose of this letter was not to prevent students from planning trips together over break. The deans felt that there should be more communication early on with parents so that safe locations could be found.

Mrs. Bonanno said, "The deans want students to enjoy themselves and socialize together over break. We realize that Deerfield kids are friends for life and we want to encourage these bonds, but it must be done in a safe environment."

As far as whether or not this letter will become an annual way to inform parents of the possible dangers of such a trip, Mr. Widmer said, "It could be. The senior parties' letter has become annual and this may well become one also. On the other hand, it may be that in the future the Nassau trip may give us no reason for concern depending on whether students can maintain certain expectations of conduct.

As a result of this letter, parents and students are better informed and are working together to discuss options for alternative plans for spring break trips. Many seniors have decided to arrange get-togethers with small, select groups of friends.

While the majority of these groups are headed for warm, tropical locations, such as other islands in the Bahamas and Caribbean, Barbados. or Florida, others are also looking into ski trips out west or even international trips to Asia.

As published in the January 2, 2006 issue of the Deerfield Scroll, the monthly newspaper of Deerfield Academy.