By Christopher Davis ’12, Editor-in-Chief 

For Newark Academy seniors heading to the Short Hills Mall in the past week for fashion show fittings, it came as a shock to see holiday decorations starting to pop up. Amidst the booths set up for pictures with Santa, one thing became jarringly clear: the seasons are changing. Despite a brief bout of winter before Halloween, the remnants of which are still present in many of our neighborhoods, it is hard to believe that fall is giving way to winter.

The fall sports seasons have all concluded. Women’s Varsity Tennis has continued a tradition of excellence, once again taking the Non-Public B crown. On an equally impressive, but underpublicized note, members of the Middle School Cross Country Team will forever remember their undefeated season.  The cast of A Diary of Anne Frank, offered the community a rendition of the timeless play that was at once heart-warming, heart-wrenching, and showed true compassion in the face of evil.

The common thread among all of this fall’s successes and many of this edition’s articles is the importance of individuals in creating community. Actors, tennis players, and runners may all be praised for their individual successes, but it is only when they effectively work in concert that they succeed.

But it is not just at NA that individuals make the difference. For better or worse, globally solutions to such problems as the crisis in the Eurozone, or even closer to home, as the GOP gears up for primaries, come from the educated (and not so educated) men and women in the spotlight.  Forty or so years ago, these same men and women were where you are now – in High School.

As a community, we know that leaders have walked the halls of Newark Academy in years past, and the men and women who will make the decisions of tomorrow do now.  It is a privilege to walk the same halls that so many successful alumni, in business, industry, politics, and academia have, but it is an even greater privilege to be able to tap into their vast experience, resources, and wisdom – and that is what NA’s alumni network is for. Worth a careful read for all students, this issue The Minuteman’s Feature section took a closer look at all the Advancement Office and Alumni Network does and can do for you.

With Thanksgiving just days away, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza around the corner, we will all have more opportunities than usual to spend time with relatives. As you enjoy your favorite holiday victuals, merriment, and maybe even the occasional gift, take a few moments to be thankful for not only the family that comes to visit, but the NA family you are a part of everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving,

-The Editors & Staff of The Minuteman