parents’
pride
Alumni and their children reflect on their Abbey experience By the Offices of Admission & Parent Relations
Portsmouth Abbey is a place where generations of students have come together to share in the experience of not just going to high school, but growing up. The bonds and memories created on this beautiful campus last a lifetime. While we all get to reminisce with classmates, several children of alumni enroll at Portsmouth Abbey each year and share this experience with their parents. We asked three current students and their alumni parent to tell us a little about their experiences at Portsmouth Abbey – how it was and how it is. When asked to share their fondest memories of Portsmouth Abbey, these alumni parents and current students all reflected that the community is one of the most important aspects of the School. Charlene Mulcahy McKeating ’93 shared stories with her daughter Marina ’23 about being one of the first twenty-one girls enrolled in the School. They both experienced life in St. Mary’s House as a student, and Charlene recalls, “the memory that stands out the most is the lasting friendships and relationships that formed from living in a
The Abbate family, from left, Michael ’23, Catherine, future raven Benedict, Chris ’88 and Eloise ’20
close-knit community.” Marina says that as she got older and began to experience the life of the School, these stories started to make more sense to her. One of Marina’s own favorite memories of her time here so far is from a Raven Cup event. Last year as a third former, she was part of the St. Mary’s team that won the broomball competition. Marina says, “Everyone is rooting for each other, but the competition during the event brings the whole dorm together.” Chris Abbate ’88 shared similar stories with his children Eloise ’20 and Michael ’23. According to Michael, the story that stands out the most is the one of the infamous “teddy bear bandit.” To Chris, it was important for his kids to realize that while “Portsmouth seems like such a serious, buttoned-up place – the students always find a way to make it fun.” Mi-
Marina McKeating ’23, front right, with the girls of St. Marys’ House at their Third Form Orientation in 2019
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P ORTSM O U T H A BB E Y S C HO OL
