Dear Friends of Cary Academy,

What a difference a year (or two) makes!

It has been an absolutely delightful first half of the 2022-2023 school year as we’ve begun to work our way back into many of our normal school operations and traditions.

This year’s focus on community and community building—“showing up for one another,” as it has been said—has been especially joyful. Important community traditions such as the handshake ceremony, Charger Cup, and Friday Night Lights have felt more meaningful and appreciated after their absence. The Middle School has also been busy building new ways to connect through mission-based Community Days, and the Upper School, driven in part by Student Council and X Factor, has interjected a variety of new community builders and spirited competitions taking place throughout the fall.

In all, it has been wonderful to get the full experience of what it means to be a “learning community.”

Toward that end, I hope you enjoy reading this issue of ?, The Magazine of Cary Academy. Our feature on Upper School English teacher Kara Caccuitto illustrates how our faculty—and Ms. Caccuitto in particular—has been working hard to enhance the learning and growth opportunities across all dimensions of a student’s experience.

In our feature on the Upper School Wilderness Club, we highlight how getting students outside of their comfort zones can lead to profound personal and leadership growth—even if in the moment, such as a 34-hour “rain event”—it may not seem like all that much “fun.”

And finally, I hope you enjoy our story on the journey of alumna Kelly Bright, ’17, from the CA softball field to storytelling for the NFL. There are truly remarkable opportunities available for our students, and it is a joy to hear first-hand how they are making their way through life after Cary Academy.

Thank you all for your continued support of our school and its wonderful community.