Part of how character is developed intentionally at Belmont Hill is through the co-curriculum. This includes offerings in athletics, arts, service, clubs, and other forms of leadership. Fundamentally, many of these activities affirm our cultural value of working together while showing – rather than telling – the boys that to be a person of character one needs to think beyond one’s self.

Belmont Hill is unique in requiring three afternoon activities for all six years of the educational journey. This commitment to the full life of the School helps boys feel connected to what it means to wear our jersey or contribute or contribute to a collective experience like a play or musical. Feedback from our research indicates that athletics tends to be one area where character education is most impactful for our boys. Whether one is deeply passionate about a sport or not, these experiences teach critical lessons about sportsmanship, hard work, and seeing how one contributes to a team. Part of the thinking behind requiring afternoon activities for all three seasons is that it ensures each boy will be part of a team where he is not the best athlete or performer of the group. These experiences teach humility, empathy, and understanding that we hope will be paid forward when the student returns to his area of strength. 

Athletics inevitably creates a certain amount of adversity for Belmont Hill boys, whether that might be getting cut from a team, competing in playoffs, or even dealing with an unexpected injury. Similarly, we have many boys who enter our community thinking their primary passion will be a particular sport only to re-invent themselves into a new sport or activity along the way. This quest for purpose is part of what makes Belmont Hill so special.

In the Middle School, it is easy for boys to compete athletically in conjunction with participating in a play or pursuing a more time-intensive club activity like robotics. Yet there are dozens of other clubs included in the Belmont Hill experience that also catalyze growth and development. Service is not required of boys, and yet each year, new projects emerge by Form or Advisory to help make a difference in our local communities such as the annual PMC Kids Ride or a food packaging project with End Hunger New England. Clearly this work is essential to becoming a person of character.

Finally, the arts can be pursued both within the academic program and during the co-curriculum. In addition to plays and musicals, activities like the Woodbury Public Speaking contest push our students to take risks and demonstrate vulnerability. Travel opportunities like the Civil Rights trip or Kenney Legacy trip also provide unique opportunities for reflection and perspective. When coupled with the academic experience of the School, the co-curriculum is a major engine behind our mission of developing young men of character.