SBP Winter 2021 magazine Final 1_29

By Davion Cottrell-Miller
MISSING THE TRAIL: Student Survey Response
Due to safety precautions over COVID-19, the Class of ‘23 was not able to hike the Appalachian
Trail, the end to a more than two decade streak. Recently, The Benedict News conducted
a survey asking members of the Class of ‘23 questions about the effects of not yet hiking The
Trail and their thought processes regarding missing a central St. Benedict’s Prep experience.
One of the questions was if they still planned to complete the Trail, if required, to which 70%
of the 51 respondents responded positively. Respondents gave varied reasons for still wanting
to go. Some students just want to get the Trail over with. Others said they wished to feel a part
of the school more, while others said they wanted to hike it for the experience.
One concern voiced by the student respondents was that the whole prospect of taking the
students on the Trail in the future might be too complex to pull off. That is, planning the event
wouldn’t be complicated by the Class of ‘23 but circumstances may not allow for adults and
students leaders to plan and organize it. With the number of COVID-19 cases spiking in New
Jersey, there is also a fear that the Class of ‘24 could also be prevented from doing the Trail in
the spring.
“It will be difficult because we’ll at least have two classes doing the Trail at the same time,”
said John Mollozzi SY, “so they might have to double the number of companies we need to
have, and we’re already kind of short-handed in terms of faculty for the Trail.”
In response to the query, “Do you think you'll take the Trail?” some 33% of respondents said
they didn’t believe that they would be able to. Those who said they would not want to go gave
reasons like fear of catching COVID-19, and not needing to go through the challenges since
they already earned their black hood.
Some wondered which class would be the priority once faculty and students are able to re-institute
the Trail -- would it be the Class of 2023 or the Class of 2024?
Most acknowledged the centrality of the Trail in relation to Benedict’s culture. To the question,
“Do you think you need to do the Trail to understand and be a part of the culture here at
Benedict’s?” 60% of respondents answered affirmatively.
“Traditions are very fragile and you have to be very careful making sure they stay intact,” said
Associate Headmaster for Leadership and Community Development Dr. Glenn Cassidy, '90.
Dr. Cassidy emphasized the rough year the Class of 2023 had already faced. “This year's class
had a lot of turnover,” Dr. Cassidy said. “They lost two amazing teachers this year. So it’s extremely
discouraging that the class of ‘23 couldn’t do the Trail.”
Plans for making up the Trail somehow are still unknown. However, knowing how Benedict’s
works, the world could fall under Armageddon, war, famine, or even another plague -- but no
class in history ever got away with skipping the Trail.
25 The Benedict News Vol. 3 Issue 1 Winter 2020-2021