Student Alums
Messages to Myra, about Myra, and about writing
To think without writing is to think without reason
Putting pen to paper paves the path to understanding
From blind belief to fully formed conviction
It’s a tool that I can always carry
There are many I should thank for building this foundation
But first among these is Myra McLarey
Even now ten years later—I write to consider
What it is Myra taught me that stuck:
To answer why and how
(And) not just who, what, and where
To persuade To uncover To convince To plunder
The depths of My thoughts—My ideas--and those of others
And today—I write to effect real change
One life transformed--And then a few more
One man convinced Is a catalyst
That was Myra’s gift to me
Mary Sauve ’14
“Dear Myra
Thank you for making me the thinker, writer, student, teacher, human that I am today. The impact of your teaching continues to reverberate through my life. The idea that we write to find out what we think as opposed to only writing what we think has given me so much freedom to explore ideas. That framework is something I am working to teach [my husband] Robbie, and I can see him breathing easier in his Ph.D. program, too. Thank you for your tremendous influence on so many lives. We are forever changed.
Love."
Lauren (Wines) Thompson ’09
“In his Nobel address, Alexander Solzhenitsyn says that art ‘on each occasion and in each application it gives to us a part of its secret inner light.’ Myra McLarey, who first introduced me and so many of my classmates to this speech, did just the same—in each class, in each assembly, in each passing conversation in the student commons. It is the rare teacher whose influence in their students’ lives extends long beyond their most formative years and whose role can effortlessly evolve from pedagogue to friend. From Myra McLarey, we learned the power of language, the value in our competing ideas, and the capacity of storytelling to cultivate empathy. She also taught us that we are each only allotted three exclamation points in our lifetimes, so allow me to expire one of mine here. Thank you, Myra McLarey, for sharing with us your secret inner light and for brightening each of ours!”
Bryce Wiatrak ’10
“Myra was the first teacher I met at Ensworth. Her kindness and willingness to listen to my story set the tone for my Ensworth experience as I stepped into an environment that felt foreign. It seemed as though I had a class with Myra every year, but in reality, I had her for one class my senior year. Most of our conversations took place during lunch, free periods, before and after basketball games, and during school functions. Through each interaction, like our first, Myra taught me the importance of listening. Thoughtfully and intentionally creating space for others to tell their story. By the time I got to Myra's class, the first lesson of close reading texts to truly understand the meaning felt familiar. I'm grateful that our conversations continued well after I graduated from Ensworth. I've tried my best to incorporate Myra's lessons personally and professionally striving to create an environment where others feel welcome, as she did for me.”
Miles Asafo-Adjei ’09
“If it weren’t for you, I am not sure I would have made it through the BIG E. You changed my life, and your belief in me unlocked limitations that I had built for myself. . . You are the epitome of love, intelligence, and strength. Because of you, I am me.
Love you to life, Che Che ” Chela Green ’08
“Myra, you are, more than anyone, responsible for our success. Ten years later we can say that.”
(From the class of 2008)
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