Thacher has long pursued the mission of teaching young people “the art of living for their own greatest good and for the good of their fellow citizens.”  Students start by caring for a horse during their first year and go on to lead backcountry trips, captain teams, and head dorm life as senior leaders. They live by Thacher's Honor Code and learn to do the right thing even when no one’s watching. In the process, they develop empathy for a fellow creature, persevere through difficulty, and put their own interests aside for the good of their companions. In short, they lay the foundations for collectively building a strong, healthy community together. 

All this happens, of course, in the context of a community of supportive peers and mentors where, at each step, students are equipped with new tools to handle each new commitment. Led by faculty members and outside experts, our dorm-based curriculums bring community members together for regular skill-building sessions and dialogues that help us take care of ourselves and each other, foster trust and respect across differences, and emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion. Students then bring these lessons to every aspect of their lives at Thacher, whether they’re volunteering to take extra responsibility during a backcountry camping trip in our Outdoor Program, doing the heavy lifting on a new Environmental Sustainability initiative, or going the extra mile while participating in Community Service projects.

Graduates (a few of whom are profiled in this video) come away from these experiences knowing how to lead with confidence, compassion, and integrity—and what it takes to work for the benefit of the greater community.