To the editor:
To write this letter is to attempt the impossible. But believe me, the person, or people, to whom this letter is directed deserve it. They have given me a gift that I never would have imagined possible, and it has changed my life, for the better, forever.
About two and a half years ago, I decided to look at private schools. I live on Vinalhaven, and we’ve never been terribly well-off. We knew from the beginning that if I didn’t get a scholarship, I wouldn’t go. Same for college. Over the course of my search for a suitable private school, same-sex schools came up more than once, and I flatly refused to look at them. One night, my parents saw an ad in the local newspaper for an anonymous $40,000 scholarship, $20,000 each for junior and senior year, for Miss Hall’s. They convinced me (read: didn’t give me a choice) to look at the school, even though it was all-girls. I am eternally grateful. I walked through the doors of this small school in western Massachusetts, and fell in love. Six months later, I commenced what would be the happiest two years of my life thus far. Some may not believe that at the age of 18 I’ve had one of those life-altering experiences, one which simply defies description. I have. That is why this letter is so difficult to write. There are simply not the words, or even the pictures, to explain what Miss Hall’s meant to me. How does one define a best friend, or two, or seven, people with whom I will never lose touch, and furthermore, it wouldn’t affect our friendship even if I did. How to describe an environment in which I have a bond with every girl, every teacher, every maintenance worker? I’ve had the education I’ve always longed for, one that challenged me, stimulated me, made me actually want to read a textbook or go in for extra help. And I owe it all to some generous, farsighted alum of Miss Hall’s.
I can’t put down in words how grateful I am to you who funded that scholarship. You have changed my life. If not for you, I would not have met a budding designer/business woman who might want to go into biochemistry instead and who also happens to be Taiwanese, nor the girl who is an incredible artist and writer and who I swear is going to change the entire world’s economic system so it’s fair to everyone, nor the teacher who is so passionate about math that she actually jumps up and down about it, but still makes time to be equally passionate, and compassionate, about her students’ lives, nor the teacher who became my best friend, who introduced me to science fiction, and who will join me for Thanksgiving, nor countless others who I can’t even begin to describe. I can not imagine my life without these people. Whoever you are, you can not begin to imagine what a gift you have given me. I can’t thank you enough.
Katie Crossman, Miss Hall’s Class of 2002
Vinalhaven, ME
The Miss Hall’s scholarship is offered to qualifying young women from one of Maine’s un-bridged islands. This is a full scholarship and offered for a student’s junior and senior year. Applicants are now being sought for consideration for the 2003-2004 academic year. For further information please contact Chris Cash, Programs Associate, Island Institute, 386 Main St., Rockland, ME 04841, (207) 594-9209 ext. 136 or email